Peter Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party after US Department of Justice files linked him to alleged payments from Jeffrey Epstein. Records reportedly show $75,000 sent to accounts tied to Mandelson in 2003–2004 and a separate £10,000 payment to his partner in 2009. Mandelson says he cannot recall the transfers or the circumstances of released photographs and stepped down to avoid embarrassing the party while he investigates. The same files also name Prince Andrew and include new allegations dating to 2010.
Peter Mandelson Quits Labour After US Files Link Him To Jeffrey Epstein
Former British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson has quit the Labour Party to avoid causing it "further embarrassment" over his links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (Carl Court)(Carl Court/POOL/AFP)
Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to Washington, resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday after newly released US Department of Justice files renewed scrutiny of his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
What the Files Say
British media report that bank records published by the US Justice Department suggest Epstein transferred a total of $75,000 in three payments to bank accounts linked to Mandelson between 2003 and 2004. Other documents indicate a separate payment of £10,000 in 2009 to Reinaldo Avila da Silva, Mandelson's partner, at a time when Mandelson was serving as a government minister.
The files also include undated photographs in which Mandelson appears wearing a T‑shirt and underwear beside a woman whose face has been redacted by US authorities. The documents name other public figures as well, including Prince Andrew, and contain fresh allegations about a 2010 episode involving another woman.
Mandelson's Response
"Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me," Mandelson wrote in a letter to Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley.
Mandelson, 72, told the BBC he had no memory of the transfers, could not confirm the authenticity of the documents and "cannot place the location or the woman and I cannot think what the circumstances were" regarding the photographs. He said he was stepping down from the Labour Party membership to avoid causing "further embarrassment" while he investigates the claims.
Background And Context
Mandelson was appointed ambassador to the United States by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in late 2024 and was removed from the post in September. He apologised in January for continuing a friendship with Epstein after initially refusing to do so on the grounds that he had not been complicit.
The DOJ file releases have revived public interest in Epstein's network and previously reported links to high-profile figures. UK and US authorities, as well as media organisations, are continuing to examine and report on the newly disclosed material.
Note: Allegations described in this article are drawn from newly released documents and media reports; where relevant they are described as alleged and remain subject to investigation and verification.
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