Peter Mandelson quits Labour Party amid fresh revelations over Epstein links

Former British minister Peter Mandelson has resigned from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party following the release of further information linking him to the late US businessman and notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The UK’s former ambassador to the United States announced his resignation on Sunday.

Previously, after allegations of ties with Epstein surfaced, Starmer removed Mandelson from his post as Britain’s ambassador to the US last year. Explaining his latest decision, Mandelson said he did not want to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party.

In a letter to the Labour Party Mandelson wrote, “Over this weekend, I have once again been associated with the understandable outrage surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. For that, I am sorry and regretful.”

In the letter, he also claimed that allegations published in the British media—based on documents released by the US Department of Justice—that he had received financial benefits from Epstein were false. He said he would look into the matter.

He wrote, “While this investigation is ongoing, I do not wish to put the Labour Party in any further uncomfortable position. That is why I have decided to step aside from my party membership.”

Mandelson played a key role in Labour’s electoral successes during Tony Blair’s premiership in the 1990s. However, he came under renewed controversy last year after documents released by US lawmakers included a letter to Epstein in which Mandelson reportedly referred to him as “my closest friend.”

As a result, his tenure as Britain’s envoy in Washington came to an end.

His domestic political career has also been marked by controversy. In 1998, he resigned as trade secretary following allegations of a conflict of interest over a home loan from a fellow minister. In 2001, he was again forced to leave the cabinet over accusations linked to an Indian tycoon in the so-called passport scandal, although he was later cleared.

A former European Union trade commissioner, Mandelson is currently on leave as a member of the upper house of the British Parliament.

In a separate development, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that, following new revelations about links to Jeffrey Epstein, Britain’s former royal Prince Andrew should testify before a US congressional committee.