Former UK ambassador steps down amid Epstein scandal
Former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson (Photo: Getty Images)
Former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson has resigned from the Labour Party to avoid creating additional problems for it amid new revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein case, reports Bloomberg.
The 72-year-old Mandelson is suspected of receiving $103,000 in payments allegedly sent to him and his partner by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The former ambassador is also accused of attempting to block a bankers’ bonus tax in 2009 at Epstein’s request.
New documents released by the US Department of Justice reportedly include compromising photos and correspondence between Mandelson and Epstein, triggering yet another scandal.
The outlet recalls that in September 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer removed Mandelson from his post as envoy to the US following a Bloomberg investigation into his close ties with Epstein. Starmer concluded that Mandelson had not been fully forthcoming during the vetting process prior to his appointment.
Mandelson said he had written to the party’s general secretary, Holly Ridley, informing her that he was leaving the Labour Party in order to avoid further embarrassment.
As a reminder, the US Department of Justice has released a new batch of documents related to the Epstein case, sparking a wave of scandals as prominent political figures were named in the files.
As reported, on December 10 last year, a US court ruled that materials from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation could be published.
A few days later, the Justice Department began releasing a large new set of files, including photos showing Epstein alongside Michael Jackson, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and others. These materials are expected to shed light on Epstein’s connections in politics, finance, and the media.
