Lord Peter Mandelson has announced that he is resigning from the Labour Party, saying he does not want to cause “further embarrassment” following renewed scrutiny of his past association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The move comes after Mandelson’s name appeared in a fresh release of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice related to Epstein. The files include banking records that appear to reference three separate payments, totaling $75,000, made between 2003 and 2004. Mandelson has denied any knowledge or recollection of receiving such payments and has said the claims require careful investigation.
In a letter to Labour’s general secretary, Mandelson said he deeply regretted being linked again to Epstein and acknowledged the anger and distress surrounding the revelations. He stressed that while he believes allegations about financial transfers are untrue, he does not want his continued party membership to distract from Labour’s work or values.
At the same time, the Epstein files have reopened broader questions about political power and elite networks, including claims involving Russian intelligence figures close to Vladimir Putin. The scale of the disclosures has also revived scrutiny of Donald Trump’s past associations with Epstein, which continue to dominate public discussion.
Mandelson reiterated his apology to the women and girls abused by Epstein, stating their voices should have been believed long before authorities acted. He said stepping away from the Labour Party was a personal decision taken in what he believes are the party’s best interests, citing his long history and loyalty to the movement.
Several Labour MPs publicly supported Mandelson’s decision, though many described the situation as deeply damaging. Some called for him to refer himself to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards to determine whether any codes of conduct were breached during his time in office.
Opposition figures were less forgiving. Conservative leaders accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of allowing Mandelson to resign voluntarily rather than taking decisive disciplinary action. Others demanded a full investigation into whether Mandelson or his former partner received money from Epstein while Mandelson was serving as a government minister.
The controversy has also spilled into U.S. media, where attention has shifted to Trump’s increasingly defensive reactions and growing speculation about how the Epstein revelations could affect the 2026 political landscape.
Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Authorities stress that being named in the documents does not automatically imply criminal wrongdoing, but the revelations continue to raise serious questions about judgment, accountability, and proximity to power.
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