A member of the Labour Party, Mandelson served as its director of communications from 1985 to 1990 during the leadership of Neil Kinnock, becoming one of the first people to whom the term "spin doctor" was applied and being nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" because of his "ruthless" and "media-savvy" reputation.[1] Although sidelined during John Smith's leadership from 1992 to 1994, Mandelson became close to Blair and Brown. Mandelson was one of several key individuals responsible for the rebranding of the Labour Party as New Labour before its victory at the 1997 general election under Blair, to whom he had become a trusted ally and adviser. He was also heavily involved in the 2001 general election, famously delivering his "I'm a fighter, not a quitter" speech, but was not a member of the government at the time, having resigned a few months earlier.
Mandelson served as Business Secretary, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade in 1998 and again from 2008 to 2010, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1999 to 2001 as well as First Secretary of State and Lord President of the Council from 2009 to 2010. He was European Commissioner for Trade from 2004 to 2008 and MP for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, before being elevated to the House of Lords as a life peer in 2008 to serve in the Brown cabinet as Business Secretary in 2008, a move that surprised many due to his long-standing political rivalry with Brown. After Labour lost the 2010 general election, Mandelson co-founded the lobbying firm Global Counsel and remained active in Labour politics in the years preceding their return to office at the 2024 general election, having been an adviser to Starmer for a few years prior, and was described as having a "significant influence" on Starmer's office as a "core part" of his political network. During his short tenure as British Ambassador, Mandelson focused on promoting trade and fostering relationships with the US government during the second presidency of Donald Trump.
Mandelson has been involved in several scandals, which resulted in him twice resigning from the Cabinet and being dismissed from his ambassadorial office in 2025. He bought a home in 1996 partly with an interest-free loan of £373,000 from Geoffrey Robinson, a Cabinet colleague whose business dealings were subject to an inquiry by Mandelson's department. Mandelson contended that he had deliberately not partaken in any decisions relating to Robinson. He had not declared the loan in the Register of Members' Interests and resigned in December 1998. In January 2001 he again resigned from the government following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application. In September 2025, a scandal occurred surrounding Mandelson's association with the convicted sex offenders and traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, which had previously been revealed in 2019. He faced repeated calls to resign as ambassador to the US following published communications regarding his association with Epstein; he was dismissed by Starmer following mounting criticism. There is no suggestion that Mandelson ever met Virginia Giuffre or sought or was offered introductions to women from Epstein; his appointment was irrespectively criticised by Giuffre's family.
In 1985, the Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock appointed Mandelson the party's director of communications. As director, he was one of the first people in Britain to whom the term "spin doctor" was applied; he was thus called the "Prince of Darkness", a nickname also used by heavy metal personality Ozzy Osbourne.[20][21][19] Mandelson ran the campaign at the 1986 Fulham by-election where Labour defeated the Conservative Party.[22]
For the 1987 general election campaign, Mandelson commissioned film director Hugh Hudson, whose Chariots of Fire (1981) had won an Oscar as Best Picture, to make a party political broadcast promoting Kinnock as a potential prime minister. Tagged "Kinnock – the Movie", it led to the party leader's approval rating being raised by 16%,[23] to 19%, in polls,[24] and was even repeated in another PPB slot.[23] The election, held on 11 June 1987, returned Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives for the third time, although Labour gained 20 seats,[25] and, this time, convincingly pushed the SDP-Liberal Alliance into third place. Opponents termed the Labour Party's election campaign "a brilliantly successful election defeat".[24] He ceased being a Labour Party official in 1990 when he was selected as Labour candidate for the constituency of Hartlepool, which was then considered a safe seat.[26]
Member of Parliament
Official portrait, 2004
Mandelson was first elected to the House of Commons at the 1992 general election,[27] and made several speeches outlining his strong support for the European Union. Although sidelined during the brief period when John Smith led the Labour Party, Mandelson was by now close to two shadow cabinet members – Gordon Brown and Tony Blair – each regarded as potential future party leaders. Following Smith's sudden death on 12 May 1994, Mandelson opted to back Blair for the leadership, believing him a superior communicator to Brown,[28] and played a leading role in the leadership campaign. This created acrimony between Mandelson and Brown, though they were considered to be allies in the Labour Party.[29]
In 1994, Kate Garvey suggested that Mandelson (who was at the time being derided by the trades unions and other Labour factions), should adopt a nom de guerre throughout Blair's leadership bid, so that he might conceal his considerable role within the campaign team. Mandelson agreed to be called "Bobby" for the duration and was thanked by Blair using this pseudonym in his victory speech.[30][31] After becoming a close ally and trusted adviser to Blair, Mandelson was Labour's election campaign director for the 1997 general election, which Labour won decisively, also winning re-election in the 2001 and 2005 general elections.[32]
Parliamentary expenses
During the 2009 expenses scandal, The Daily Telegraph raised questions about the timing of Mandelson's second home allowance claim, dating from 2004, saying, "Lord Mandelson billed the taxpayer for almost £3,000 of work on his constituency home in Hartlepool less than a week after announcing his decision to stand down as an MP." Mandelson said in a statement, "The work done was necessary maintenance. All claims made were reasonable and submitted consistent with parliamentary rules."[33]
Minister without Portfolio
Mandelson was appointed as a Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office, where his job was to co-ordinate within government. A few months later, he also acquired responsibility for the Millennium Dome, after Blair decided to go ahead with the project despite the opposition of most of the Cabinet (including the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who had been running it). Jennie Page, the Dome project's chief executive, was abruptly sacked after a farcical opening night.[34] In June 2000, in what was seen as a reference to the close interest in the Dome from Mandelson, known at the time as so-called "Dome Secretary" and his successor Charlie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, Page told the House of Commons Select Committee for Culture and Heritage: "I made several attempts to persuade ministers that standing back from the Dome would be good for them as well as good for the Dome".[35]
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In July 1998, Mandelson was appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and was sworn of the Privy Council; he launched the Millennium Bug And Electronic Commerce Bill and a Competitiveness White paper, which he described, as "bold, far reaching and absolutely necessary". He also appointed a "Net Tsar" to lead the UK in what he termed the "new industrial revolution". Mandelson reportedly urged Blair to proceed with the Post Office's Horizon IT system, leading to the British Post Office scandal in which thousands of innocent subpostmasters were wrongfully convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting.
Undisclosed home loan scandal
Mandelson was a friend of Labour MP and aerospace CEO Geoffrey Robinson since 1979 when he was a reseacher to Labour MP Albert Booth.[36] Mandelson had previously been financially supported by Robinson while working with trade unions, and had remained in touch with him intermittently.[36] Robinson, stated that in 1994, Mandelson had written to Brown, offering his services and stating to Brown he should not seek leadership of what would become New Labour, and in so doing gravitated towards Tony Blair, causing a rift (also referred to as a "feud" by The Guardian[37]) between Brown and Mandelson.[36]
In 1996, Mandelson was invited to a New Statesman party in the Grosvenor House Hotel to Robinson's flat, and then subsequently to a dinner by Robinson, where Mandelson discussed difficulties with calls from Tony Blair at early hours, and also in a cri de coeur[36] complained to Robinson that he was miserable in his small flat in Wilmington Square, and about his financial circumstances due to his "modest" salary in New Labour, complaining that he did not have "a flat in which he could relax and entertain his friends".[36] Following this, Robinson queried his intentions:
"I asked what he had in mind. He said "Oh there is a place in Notting Hill I would really like, but it's too expensive and there is no-one to help me!" At this point I said that financially I was in a good position and that I might be able to assist if he wanted me to. [...]My interpretation of his remark was and remains that he was looking for a loan. I would not say that is why he had come to dinner. But, to judge from the alacrity with which he responded, I do not think I misinterpreted what he said." (The Unconventional Minister, p6)[36]
Mandelson rang Robinson at 9am the next morning "anxiously asking if [Robinson] would buy him a house", to which Robinson responded in the affirmative, signalling he would give the loan to Mandelson.[36] Robinson was also previously known as being linked to disgraced former businessman Robert Maxwell, had offshore funds which posed problems during his time in Labour, and was also alleged to have offered similar loans to other members of New Labour's cabinet.[38]
Robinson stated that the loan was offered with no strings attached, with Mandelson in a hurry to buy a property, Robinson stated Mandelson asked if Robinson was willing to help him find a location in Notting Hill, to which Robinson accepted – stating that Mandelson settled on a four-story house in Northumberland Place, also stating "And [Mandelson] was quite undaunted at the prospect of so large a burden of debt." as Mandelson had stated he would pay it back with money from an inheritance, a salary he would "command" in the private sector which could pay the interest and repay the capital, and that also his eventual publication of memoirs would cover the cost, and for that reason Robinson saw Mandelson as "good for the money".[36]
Mandelson bought a home in a highly-exclusive area of Notting Hill in October 1996[36] partly with an interest-free unsecured personal loan from Robinson, a Cabinet colleague and millionaire whose business dealings were subject to an inquiry by Mandelson's department, of £373,000 (£753,144 adjusted for inflation in 2025).[39] The total value of the home was £475,000 (£959,097 adjusted for inflation in 2025).[40]
The scandal further elaborated when Mandelson became Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 27 July 1998 and was responsible for the Department of Trade and Industry's investigation into Robert Maxwell's embezzlement of pension funds, but had failed to recuse himself of the position due to conflict of interests.[41] Robinson commented in his memoir that he was surprised that Mandelson did not declare a conflict of interest due to links between Robinson and Maxwell and stated he should have faced up to it, and in trying to escape from the scandal, blamed him.[36] Robinson had dealings with Maxwell's engineering companies but was not alleged to be involved in any of the embezzlement of pension funds.[42] Robinson stated there were rumours of documents being stolen and efforts to retrieve them, but that ultimately he did not know who released the details of their loan.[36]
The article was published in The Guardian on 22 December 1998, followed by Mandelson going on a press tour immediately after on 22 December as a means of trying to salvage his position and minimise the damage done by the Guardian article, which ultimately was fruitless. On the morning of 23 December, Gordon Brown called Robinson and stated the bottom line was that Mandelson was to resign, and that Tony Blair demanded Robinson resign as well. Blair later called Robinson, according to Robinson, stating that he was very disappointed the press saw a scandal in what he saw as a "private arrangement".[36] Mandelson had not declared the loan in the Register of Members' Interests, and had kept the loan from Blair for 2 years. He resigned on 23 December 1998, stating in a private letter to Blair that "I am sorry about this situation. But we came to power promising to uphold the highest possible standards in public life. We have not just to do so, but we must be seen to do so. Therefore with huge regret I wish to resign. I will always be a loyal Labour man and I am not prepared to see the party and the government suffer the kind of attack this issue has provoked. You can be assured, of course, of my continuing friendship and total loyalty."[39][43]
Robinson stated in conclusion in his memoir that Mandelson had sold the house "for a handsome profit" and had repaid the loan on the home by 2001.[36]
Mandelson had also not declared the loan to his lender (the Britannia Building Society) although they decided not to take any action, with the CEO stating: "I am satisfied that the information given to us at the time of the mortgage application was accurate."[44] Mandelson initially thought he could weather the press storm, but had to resign when it became clear that Blair thought nothing else would clear the air.[45] In October 2000, it was reported that Robinson had "accused Peter Mandelson of lying to the Commons about the home loan affair that cost both of them their government jobs."[46][47]
Later, it emerged that while in the role, Mandelson urged Blair to proceed with the rollout of the system which later metastasised into the Horizon IT scandal arguing that it was "only sensible choice".[48]
On 24 January 2001, Mandelson resigned from the Government for a second time, following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application, stating "I would only ask people to understand that my sole desire and motivation throughout was to emphasise that I had not sought to influence the decision on naturalisation in any way at all, merely to pass on a request for information and the prime minister is entirely satisfied with this."[50][51] He had contacted Home OfficeMinisterMike O'Brien on behalf of Srichand Hinduja, an Indian businessman who was seeking British citizenship and whose family firm was to become the main sponsor of the "Faith Zone" in the Millennium Dome. At the time Hinduja and his brothers were under investigation by the Indian Government for alleged involvement in the Bofors scandal. Mandelson insisted he had done nothing wrong and was exonerated by an independent inquiry by Sir Anthony Hammond, which concluded that neither Mandelson nor anyone else had acted improperly.[52]
At the 2001 general election Mandelson was challenged by Arthur Scargill of the Socialist Labour Party and by John Booth, a former Labour Party press officer standing as "Genuine Labour",[53] but Mandelson was re-elected with a large majority.[54] In his victory speech, Mandelson said: "It was said that I was facing political oblivion ... Well, they underestimated Hartlepool and they underestimated me because I am a fighter and not a quitter."[55] His quote would later be referenced by Liz Truss towards the end of her notably short tenure as prime minister in October 2022.[56][57][58]
Stepping down as MP
Despite Labour's victory at the June 2001 general election, a third Cabinet appointment did not materialise and Mandelson indicated his interest in becoming the United Kingdom's European Commissioner when the new Commission was established in 2004. Both of Britain's Commissioners, Neil Kinnock and Chris Patten, were due to stand down. Appointment as a European Commissioner would require his resignation from Parliament, precipitating a by-election in his Hartlepool constituency. His EC appointment was announced in the summer and on 8 September 2004 Mandelson resigned his seat by petitioning to become Steward of the Manor of Northstead.[59][60] Labour held the seat at the 2004 Hartlepool by-election with a much-reduced majority of 2,033 votes (equating to 40.7% of the vote),[61] being succeeded by Iain Wright as MP for Hartlepool.
European Commissioner
Mandelson and US President George W. Bush in February 2005
On 22 November 2004, Mandelson became Britain's European Commissioner, taking the trade portfolio.
During the summer of 2008, Mandelson had a widely publicised disagreement with Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France.[4] Sarkozy accused him of trying to sell out European farmers and appeared to blame his handling of the Doha round of trade talks for the "no" vote in the Irish referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. Mandelson said his position at world trade talks had been undermined and told the BBC he did not start the row, saying, "I stood up for myself, I'm not to be bullied." He said he believed the row was over but renewed his warnings on protectionism.[4]
In October 2008 he left his post as Trade Commissioner to return to UK politics.
Peerage and return to Cabinet
Mandelson (left) with Gordon Brown at the Progressive Governance Conference, February 2010
On 3 October 2008, as part of Gordon Brown's Cabinet reshuffle it was announced, amid some controversy and surprise,[62][63] that Mandelson would return to Government in the re-designated post of Business Secretary and would be raised to the peerage,[64] thus becoming a member of the House of Lords. His return surprised many due to his long-standing political rivalry with Brown.[65][66] On 13 October 2008 he was created Baron Mandelson, of Foy in the County of Herefordshire and of Hartlepool in the County of Durham,[67] being introduced in the House of Lords the same day.[68] Following his return to office, Mandelson supported the planned Heathrow expansion.[69] On 6 March 2009, environmental protester Leila Deen of anti-aviation group Plane Stupid approached him outside a summit on the government's low carbon industrial strategy and threw a cup of green custard in his face in protest over his support for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. The protester was cautioned on 9 April for causing "harassment, alarm or distress".[70][71]
In August 2009, Mandelson was widely reported to have ordered "technical measures" such as internet disconnection to be included in the draft of the Digital Economy Act 2010 after a "big lobbying operation", even though the Digital Britain report had rejected this type of punishment.[75]The Independent reported that according to their Whitehall sources, Mandelson was persuaded that tough laws were needed to reduce online copyright infringement following an intensive lobbying campaign by influential people in the music and film industry.[76] The paper also reported that this included a meeting with DreamWorks co-founder David Geffen at the Rothschild family villa on the Greek island of Corfu. Mandelson's spokesperson claimed that there had been no discussion of internet piracy during the Corfu dinner and suggested that the decision to reverse Lord Carter's findings had been taken in late July before the trip. The Times reported after the Corfu meeting that an unnamed Whitehall source had confirmed that before this trip, Mandelson had shown little personal interest in the Digital Britain agenda, which has been ongoing for several years. According to the source of The Times, Mandelson returned from holiday and effectively issued an edict that the regulation needed to be tougher.[77]
In August 2011, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed that Mandelson had decided to approve the inclusion of technical measures, such as the disconnection of internet access, at least two months before public consultation had finished and that he had shown little interest in the consultation. Letters from Mandelson's office document talks with Sir Lucian Grainge, CEO of Universal Music Group, on 2 June 2009 and that on the following day Mandelson advised Lord Carter about the "possibility of [the Secretary of State] having a power to direct OfCom to go directly to introduce technical measures". Mandelson made the formal announcement that technical measures, including disconnection, were to be included in the Digital Economy Bill two months later on 7 August 2009.[78]
An opinion poll conducted by the centre-left think tank Compass found in March 2009 that Mandelson was less disliked by Labour Party members than Deputy Leader Harriet Harman. This was felt to be unusual as Mandelson "historically has been unpopular among Labour members".[79] Blair's assertion in 1996, namely that "my project will be complete when the Labour Party learns to love Peter Mandelson",[80] was seen as prophetic in late September 2009 when Mandelson was enthusiastically received at the party conference in Brighton.[81] While Business Secretary, he was accused of inserting "technical measures" for online copyright infringement into the Digital Economy Act following lobbying from the music and film industry.
Post-Cabinet
Advisory, lobbying and directorships
In November 2010, Mandelson and Ben Wegg-Prosser founded Global Counsel, a London-based lobbying firm with the financial support of WPP, the advertising giant.[82][83] The firm provides advice for corporate strategists and senior management worldwide. Lord Mandelson has been criticised for not revealing his clientele.[84] As a corporate lobbyist, he personally helped clients such as Shein, Shell, Palantir, Alibaba, TikTok, and the UK private water industry obtain meetings with ministers and senior officials.[85][86][87]
In May 2012, Mandelson confirmed that he was advising Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) in selling timber products to Europe. In 2012 APP was accused of illegal logging in Indonesia and damaging the habitats of rare animals such as the Sumatran tiger. At least 67 companies worldwide, such as Tesco and Kraft Foods since 2004 and Danone since 2012 have boycotted APP.[88][89][90] In April 2014, it was reported that Mandelson had strong ties to Russian conglomerate Sistema.[91] Mandelson was criticised for being a member of the House of Lords while running a lobbying firm.[92] In 2021, he was the only Labour peer to vote against an amendment denouncing genocide in Xinjiang.[92]
After the 2015 Labour leadership election resulted in Jeremy Corbyn becoming the party leader, Mandelson stated that he believed that Labour was now unelectable, but advised party members unhappy with the situation to wait for Corbyn to demonstrate this before working to replace him.[104] He wished for an early general election to force Corbyn out.[105] In February 2017, he said Corbyn had "no idea in the 21st century how to conduct himself as a leader of a party putting itself forward in a democratic election" and "I work every single day to bring forward the end of [Corbyn's] tenure in office".[106] After the results of the 2017 general election became known, Mandelson conceded that Corbyn's election campaign was "very sure-footed" and the result, in which Labour gained seats and denied the Conservatives a majority, unexpected.[107] "I was wrong" about Corbyn, he told BBC News. "I am very surprised, an earthquake has happened in British politics and I did not foresee it", although he doubted Corbyn's ability to gain a Commons majority.[108] Two years later, at the 2019 general election, Labour suffered their worst defeat since the 1930s.[109] Mandelson described the result as "not undeserved", arguing that Corbyn's leadership was one of the main reasons for Labour's defeat.[110]
During the 2016 EU referendum, Mandelson sat on the board on Britain Stronger in Europe, the official "Remain" campaign, which was unsuccessful.[111] Following the Brexit referendum, Mandelson was an outspoken advocate for a second referendum.[112] After Roberto Azevêdo announced he would step down as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in September 2020, Mandelson declared an interest in succeeding him. He proceeded to lobby governments around the world for the role,[113] arguing that the WTO had "reached a fork in the road" and had to be "picked up and put back on its feet".[114] Mandelson, an opponent of Brexit, was overlooked in favour of the Conservative Liam Fox:[115] his prospective candidacy ceased when Fox secured the UK Government's nomination.[116]
After the 2020 Labour leadership election resulted in Keir Starmer becoming the party leader, it was reported the following year that Mandelson had been advising Starmer on moving the party beyond Corbyn's leadership and broadening its electoral appeal.[117] In 2023, Mandelson was one of the regular guests of the weekly podcast How To Win An Election from The Times, presented by Matt Chorley and alongside Polly Mackenzie and Danny Finkelstein.[118] With a history of involvement in Labour campaigns stretching back to the 1987 general election, Mandelson wrote in a 2022 foreword that he expected the next election to be a "battle for change". As early as September 2022, Mandelson publicly advised Starmer to not "sit back" and assume victory, but instead push for significant change to win a commanding majority. He was described as having a "significant influence" on Starmer's office as a "core part" of his political network, and was an adviser to Starmer for several years before Labour's 2024general election victory. In the lead-up to the election in June 2024, Mandelson warned against public overconfidence in a Labour victory, echoing a strategy used by Blair before the 1997 election. Appearing on the BBC, he stated, "I don't believe the polls for one moment". Mandelson also publicly campaigned for Labour by reassuring voters that the party had changed under Starmer and was a "safe" option for government after years of Conservative rule. Speaking before the election, he correctly predicted a public appetite for change that would lead to a Labour victory, similar to the major political shifts seen in 1979 and 1997.[119][120]
Ambassadorship to the United States
Mandelson and US President Donald Trump in June 2025
In December 2024, Mandelson was nominated as HM Ambassador to the United States by Starmer, to replace Karen Pierce who had been rotated out of her post as the UK's ambassador to the US and appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the Western Balkans.[121][122][123][124] As a veteran on trade issues, Mandelson's appointment was aimed at helping the UK secure trade opportunities with the US. He assumed office of the ambassadorship on 10 February 2025, following the presidential transition from Joe Biden to that of Donald Trump.[125][126]
Upon appointment, he said: "It is a great honour to serve the country in this way. We face challenges in Britain but also big opportunities and it will be a privilege to work with the government to land those opportunities, both for our economy and our nation’s security, and to advance our historic alliance with the United States."[127]
Previously opposed to Trump and describing him as "little short of a white nationalist and racist",[20] "reckless and a danger to the world" likening him to "a bully",[128] Mandelson revised his opinion publicly asserting his respect for Trump, according to the will of the people.[129][130] Trump had appeared to enjoy a warm relationship with Mandelson, praising him during an Oval Office meeting in May 2025. A Guardian article published the day after Mandelson's sacking noted how the Labour peer had "charmed" Trump's inner circle. In December 2024, a Trump campaign adviser publicly referred to Mandelson as an "absolute moron".[131]
During his short tenure as British Ambassador, Mandelson focused on promoting trade and fostering relationships with the US government during Trump's second presidency. Mandelson played a significant role in helping to formulate the details of a trade deal between the two countries following Trump enacting a series of steeptariffs affecting nearly all goods imported into the country, which was praised as a key achievement of his ambassadorship. Appointed just before Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, Mandelson was tasked with managing the crucial UK-US "special relationship". He worked to build connections within the new administration, including meetings with Trump himself. Mandelson's role involved strengthening the historic alliance between the two nations, particularly regarding economic growth and security.[132]
After being sacked from the role in September 2025, Mandelson said: "Being Ambassador here has been the privilege of my life. I could not have wished for a better welcome by you all, a better introduction to the job or better support while here. Your professionalism has been superb, more so than I have experienced in any public role. For this I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The relationship between Britain and the United States of America is a unique one. I know that you will continue to serve and deepen that relationship from DC right across our brilliant network. I wish to thank you for all of your efforts in serving me as your Ambassador."[133]James Roscoe, the deputy head of the British Embassy in Washington, was appointed interim ambassador following Mandelson's dismissal.
Jeffrey Epstein association
Jeffrey Epstein (left, pictured with Ghislaine Maxwell) maintained a close friendship with Peter Mandelson (right) before and after his 2008 conviction.
Mandelson was a friend of Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier who pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18 in 2008, and was arrested again on federal charges for the sex trafficking of minors in 2019, later dying in custody. Amid the wider "Epstein scandal" in 2019, UK's Channel 4 aired an episode of Dispatches in which a source close to Epstein said that Mandelson, while serving as a UK Cabinet minister, made a phone call to Epstein in order to set up a meeting with Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan. In June 2023, an internal JPMorgan report from 2019, filed to a New York court, found that "Jeffrey Epstein appears to maintain a particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew, Duke of York (who faced major backlash in late 2019 due to his own association with Epstein), and [Peter] Lord Mandelson, a senior member of the British Government."[134] In 2024, a picture of Mandelson with Epstein on his private island Little Saint James, U.S. Virgin Islands resurfaced in court documents. In September 2025 it emerged that an internal report by JPMorgan suggested that, in 2009, Mandelson stayed at Epstein's Manhattan apartment while Epstein was serving his 18-month prison sentence for soliciting prostitution.[135]
According to recent reports, Mandelson flew on Epstein's private jet, the Lolita Express, on at least one occasion. In addition, documents show that Epstein paid for commercial flights for Mandelson in 2003. A former Epstein employee, Valdson Vieira Cotrin, recalls Mandelson flying with Epstein on his private jet. The trip, in the early 2000s, was from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands to New York. Mandelson was photographed with Epstein on Epstein's private Caribbean island, Little St. James. A former employee believes Epstein made a short helicopter trip to meet Mandelson while he was staying on a nearby island. Financial records from the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee show that Epstein paid for two commercial flights for Mandelson in April 2003, totaling more than $7,400 (£5,400). Emails from October 2005 show that after Mandelson complained to Epstein about a lack of British Airways air miles, Epstein offered to pay for his plane tickets to the Caribbean. It is unknown if Mandelson accepted the offer.[136] It also emerged that in 2002, Mandelson encouraged then prime minister Tony Blair to meet Epstein, and that during his time as business secretary, Mandelson reportedly asked Epstein to broker a deal for the sale of a UK taxpayer-owned banking business. Documents concerning Mandelson's 2002 memo and advice to Blair on Epstein were set to be released from the National Archives in September 2025 but were withheld due to an "international relations" exemption.
Following Mandelson's nomination as HM Ambassador to the United States by Starmer in December 2024, the security services allegedly shared concerns with Starmer but he was appointed irrespective.[137] The Cabinet Office carried out a due diligence check on Mandelson, but the appointment was announced before an in-depth security vetting was conducted.[138] Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, was enthusiastic about Mandelson's appintment. In February 2025, when asked about his relationship with Epstein by the Financial Times, Mandelson said: "I regret ever meeting him or being introduced to him by his partner Ghislaine Maxwell. I regret even more the hurt he caused to many young women. I'm not going to go into this. It's an FT obsession and frankly you can all fuck off. OK?"[139][140] On 9 September 2025, the U.S. House Oversight Committee published a series of documents from Epstein's estate, which included a letter written by Mandelson to Epstein in 2003.[141][142][143] The letter was part of a 'birthday book' compiled by Maxwell, for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003.[141] Within that letter, Mandelson described Epstein as an "intelligent sharp-witted man" and as "my best pal".[142] A number of pictures of Mandelson, including one with Epstein, were published alongside the letter.[141] Alongside one picture of Mandelson with two women, whose faces are obscured, he writes about meeting Epstein's interesting – in inverted commas – friends.[144]
On 10 September 2025, further communication from Mandelson to Epstein was published widely, including an email sent in June 2008 after Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from someone aged under 18 and before his sentencing, where he wrote: "You have to be incredibly resilient, fight for early release and be philosophical about it as much as you can. The whole thing has been years of torture and now you have to show the world how big a person you are, and how strong. I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened. I can still barely understand it. It just could not happen in Britain. Everything can be turned into an opportunity and that you will come through it and be stronger for it. Your friends stay with you and love you."[145][146] In a response to the email, Mandelson said: "I relied on assurances of his innocence that turned out later to be horrendously false."[145] The published communications led to Mandelson facing repeated calls to resign as Britain's ambassador to the US.
Mandelson's response
In a September 2025 interview with journalist Harry Cole for the YouTube show Harry Cole Saves the West, Mandelson discussed his relationship with Epstein. His comments came after the release of US documents detailing his interactions with Epstein, including a 2003 message where Mandelson called Epstein his "best pal". During the interview, Mandelson said he deeply regrets continuing his association with Epstein for "far longer than I should have done" and that the association has felt like "an albatross around my neck" since Epstein's death. He stated was "taken in" and "fell for his lies," believing Epstein's assurances about his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage person, but now recognises Epstein as a "charismatic criminal liar". He expressed "profound sympathy" for Epstein's victims and claimed that during his association with Epstein, he never saw any evidence of criminal activity. Mandelson suggested that as a gay man, he "never sought and nor did [Epstein] offer any introductions to women in the way that allegedly he did for others". He acknowledged that more "very embarrassing" correspondence with Epstein would likely come to light, adding, "I can't rewrite history".[147]
Following his sacking as UK Ambassador to the United States on September 11, 2025, Mandelson expressed deep regret for his association with Epstein and issued a formal statement to embassy staff. On September 10, Mandelson spoke to The Sun, where he first addressed the resurfaced links to Epstein. He called Epstein a "charismatic criminal liar" and said he felt "very, very deep regret" for continuing their association for "far longer than I should have done". He acknowledged that more "embarrassing" correspondence would likely be revealed. He claimed he "fell for and accepted assurances" from Epstein regarding his criminal case in Florida and was unaware of any criminal activity.[148] After being removed from his position, Mandelson issued a letter to British Embassy staff. He stated that serving as ambassador was "the privilege of my life" and expressed deep regret over the circumstances surrounding his departure and his "association with Epstein twenty years ago and the plight of his victims". He accepted Starmer's decision, saying he had "no alternative". The Foreign Office cited emails in which Mandelson appeared to question Epstein's 2008 conviction as the "new information" prompting the dismissal. The BBC reported that Mandelson disputes the interpretation that he thought the conviction was "wrongful," instead believing the length of the sentence should be challenged. He maintains that he was truthful during the vetting process, but No. 10 sources claim he was "economical with the truth".[149]
Starmer's response
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced significant political pressure regarding the scandal, and stated Mandelson's support of Epstein contradicted his government's stance on violence against women and girls.
Starmer has faced significant political pressure regarding the scandal, particularly concerning his initial appointment and later sacking of Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the US. Starmer's response has included publicly expressing anger, stating that he would not have made the appointment had he known the full extent of Mandelson's ties to Epstein, and acknowledging flaws in the vetting process.[150][151] On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, during Prime Minister's Questions, Starmer publicly defended Mandelson, stating "Let me start by saying that the victims of Epstein are at the forefront of our minds. He was a despicable criminal who committed the most heinous crimes and destroyed the lives of so many women and girls. The ambassador has repeatedly expressed his deep regret for his association with Epstein, and he is right to do so. I have confidence in him, and he is playing an important role in the UK-US relationship."[152][153] Starmer sacked Mandelson the next day, September 11, after emails emerged showing Mandelson encouraged Epstein to "fight for early release" from jail in 2008. Starmer described Mandelson's comments as "reprehensible" and said they contradicted his government's stance on violence against women and girls.[154]
Downing Street sources stated that the newly published emails revealed a relationship with Epstein that was "materially different" from what was known at the time of the appointment. Starmer said he was not "at all" satisfied with Mandelson's responses to questions from government officials. Starmer claimed that while he knew at PMQs that the Foreign Office was investigating the emails, he was not made aware of their full content until later that evening, after PMQs. He told Channel 4 News he was "angry to have been put in that position". Some reports suggested Starmer was deliberately kept in the dark by his team. While the Foreign Office later acknowledged that Mandelson was not given in-depth vetting before the appointment, a full review of vetting processes has been avoided, leading to further questions from the Opposition.[155] Critics, including Leader of the Opposition and Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, have accused Starmer of poor judgment, dishonesty, and hiding from scrutiny. The scandal, combined with the recent resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and an aide, has created significant turmoil within the Labour Party. The Opposition successfully secured an emergency debate in the Commons, putting more pressure on the government. The incident created an awkward backdrop for Trump's state visit and left the UK without an ambassador in Washington.[156][157]
A source close to Starmer revealed that the prime minister is "frustrated and a bit angry" at the scandal, because he is having to deal with the conduct of others, rather than show what he is trying to do."[158][159] The scandal has been described as particularly damaging for the Starmer ministry, starting days after the tax scandal surrounding former Deputy Prime MinisterAngela Rayner.[160][161] It has also been described as damaging for the UK's negotiations with Trump, due to Trump's own relationship with Epstein which had been the source of major controversy earlier in the year. In his first interview since Mandelson was dismissed, Starmer said: “I don’t particularly think anger helps here, but I feel let down. I feel that the process was gone through and now information has come to light which had I known it at the time, I wouldn’t have appointed him.”[162] Starmer began facing leadership questions amid the scandal, with many Labour MPs expressing public and private frustration with the prime minister's leadership.[163][164]
Repercussions
"What a pitiful state to find ourselves in. What a pitiful state for the Prime Minister to find himself in. And this is mired in politics, I hate to say, because this is a political decision by the Prime Minister. He chose to stand at that despatch box last week and not tell us, but tell the public that there was nothing to see here, that he had absolute confidence in Lord Mandelson. It is the Prime Minister who chose to ignore the facts that were plainly in front of him, not for weeks, not for hours, not for days, but for months. He was the man who appointed Peter Mandelson to be the ambassador to the United States, the man who said to an FT journalist earlier this year, to ‘fuck off’ – his quote, not mine – because he was being enquired about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. That was what Lord Mandelson said. He said it was an FT obsession. Well, guess what? It's our obsession now, and we are going to make sure that we get to the bottom of this. The Prime Minister is not above the scrutiny of the House of Commons, neither is he above the scrutiny of the public at home. But the greatest scandal of all, the greatest scandal of all, is the fact that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom appointed a man to that role, knowing that that man had maintained a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, despite the fact that Jeffrey Epstein had been convicted in 2008 in Florida. Convicted, convicted for having 14-year-old girls masturbate him – and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom thought it was fitting for the best friend of that individual to hold the highest diplomatic office in the United States of America on behalf of the people of these isles. What has happened to the moral compass of this place, of the office of Prime Minister, where we can simply accept a rationale such as that? How can any victim of child sex abuse in these isles or elsewhere have confidence in the structures that we put in place, when the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – and the Minister shakes his head, is there an intervention that he wants to make? Is there something that he disagrees with in that assessment of those facts? Or does he want to present the additional detail to this house which makes any of that untrue whatsoever? No, I notice he's not shaking his head now, but I tell you who is shaking their head, the public at him and his Prime Minister for the decisions that they have taken."
Mandelson was sacked by Starmer on 11 September 2025 following the publication in The Sun newspaper of supportive emails Mandelson sent to Epstein after he was arrested in 2008.[165] The emails show that Mandelson stated Epstein's first conviction was wrongful and tried to help Epstein to challenge the verdict.[166] Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said these emails showed "the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment. In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein's appalling crimes, he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect."[167] In his letter to US embassy staff after being sacked, Mandelson said he continues to "feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein", stating: "The circumstances surrounding the announcement today are ones which I deeply regret. I continue to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein twenty years ago and the plight of his victims. I have no alternative to accepting the Prime Minister's decision and will leave a position in which I have been so incredibly honoured to serve."
It was later revealed that Starmer explicitly asked Mandelson three specific questions regarding his links to Epstein before deciding to appoint him. These questions were: "Why has he continued contact with Epstein after he was convicted, why was he reported to have stayed in one of Epstein's homes while the financier was in prison, and was he associated with a charity founded by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell that the financier had backed"[168] Subsequently the consultancy Global Counsel effectively disassociated itself from its co-founder by planning the sale of Mandelson's multi million pound stake over the following few months.[169] The surviving relatives of Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent and vocal victims of Epstein and Maxwell who also helped publicly expose Prince Andrew's association with them, disapproved of Mandelson's appointment and stated he should never have been appointed to the role to begin with. Giuffre's sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, said: "Why does it take us to have to pull out the skeletons for people to be held accountable? Our governments have allowed these people to hold their status and their title without shame. He should never have been given that title. We have to put the spotlight on them. It's unfair we continuously pull these skeletons out, that survivors have to continuously point the finger for us to do the right thing." Mr Roberts, Giuffre's younger brother, said that the firing of Mandelson was a "step in the right direction" but "the reality is that's not nearly enough." Referencing Epstein's birthday book, he added, "there are still people out there, still people in that book who could be doing this to other young women and children right now."[170]
Giuffre's family also called for a full investigation into Prince Andrew, stating "It doesn't matter if it's a Royal Family member or president or prince... every single person deserves to be held to the fullest extent of the law. Of course he's been stripped of... all of these different things and publicly shamed in certain ways, but that's not enough. The fact that he's still out there, that he's still living in a palace or a castle is not enough. It's time we put every single person, whether you're a royal, Prince Andrew, you need to be fully investigated, and if it is found that you had any participation, you need to be put behind bars for the rest of your life."[171] They also called for Trump to "do the right thing" and fully release the Epstein files, which he previously promised to do during his 2024 election campaign but has since backtracked on. Subsequently, when government minister Peter Kyle was asked if Mandelson's appointment was a mistake, Kyle said: "They [Giuffre's family] say it was a mistake. And retrospectively, if we had known the information that we know now, it is highly unlikely that he would have been appointed because what we know now is materially different to what we understood at the time." There is no suggestion that Mandelson ever met Giuffre, stating that "perhaps as a gay man", he never sought or was offered introductions to women from Epstein. Shadow education secretary Laura Trott vowed that the Conservatives would "use every mechanism" available "to understand what advice went to the prime minister and when", and called for "full transparency" from the government.[172]
Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the opposition and Conservative Party leader, has been a prominent critic of Starmer's handling of the scandal. Her response has focused on three key areas: questioning Starmer's judgment, demanding full transparency, and highlighting a series of government scandals. At Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch pressed Starmer repeatedly on his decision to appoint Mandelson, despite knowledge of his links to Epstein. She stated that "we didn't need any new information to know that this was an unsuitable appointment". Following reports that Downing Street and the Foreign Office had received details of Mandelson's emails before Starmer defended him in Parliament, Badenoch accused Starmer of "lying to the whole country". Badenoch condemned Starmer for his absence from an emergency Commons debate on the scandal on September 16, accusing him of "hiding from Parliament" by sending a junior minister to respond. In the emergency debate, Badenoch called on Starmer to apologise to Epstein's victims for Mandelson's appointment. Badenoch and the Conservatives have repeatedly called for the release of all documents and correspondence relating to the appointment and vetting of Mandelson. Badenoch has accused Starmer and his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, of "forcing through" Mandelson's appointment despite warnings. Badenoch has insisted that the Conservatives will continue to press the government for answers, stating, "We will be back here again and again until all of these documents are published". Badenoch has linked the Mandelson affair to other recent Labour government issues, presenting a picture of a "government of sleaze and scandal". She has argued that Starmer is distracted by these controversies at a time of economic and diplomatic challenges. Badenoch also expressed concern that the Mandelson fallout risked overshadowing the state visit by Trump.[173]
Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has used the scandal to attack Starmer's judgment and call for greater transparency. Davey's criticism has focused on the handling of the appointment, the vetting process, and the impact on Epstein's victims. He described Mandelson's appointment as "another car crash" for the Labour government and questioned why Starmer proceeded with the appointment despite Mandelson's well-known history. After Mandelson's sacking, Davey demanded that Starmer "come before Parliament and explain" his decision-making process. In a parliamentary debate, Davey agreed with a Labour MP's argument that professional diplomats should be appointed as ambassadors instead of politicians. The Liberal Democrats have called for an independent investigation into what was known about Mandelson's links to Epstein at the time of his appointment. Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper called for a full review of vetting procedures, stating it was "extraordinary" that Mandelson could have been appointed without the Prime Minister knowing all the facts. Like the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Davey called on Starmer to apologise directly to Epstein's victims for appointing Mandelson. He asked how it must have felt for victims to see "another of Epstein's closest friends" made a British ambassador. Davey also voiced concern about the timing of the scandal, just before a state visit by US President Donald Trump, who also had connections to Epstein. Davey urged Starmer to question Trump about his relationship with Epstein during their meeting.[174][175]
The deputy leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, strongly criticised Starmer's handling of the scandal, accusing him of a "woefully incompetent judgment" and of "misleading" Parliament. He and Reform UK have also raised questions about the vetting process for the appointment. Tice stated that Starmer humiliated the country by appointing Mandelson despite public knowledge of his links to Epstein. Tice claimed Starmer misled the House of Commons by first expressing confidence in Mandelson on September 10, then sacking him a day later. He also questioned how Starmer could credibly maintain his confidence in Mandelson with the emerging evidence. Tice and Reform UK have challenged the vetting process, stating that Starmer was wrong to claim that "full due process" had been followed. This came after it was revealed that Mandelson was not subjected to in-depth security vetting until after his appointment was announced. Tice, alongside other MPs, has called for a Cabinet minister to come to Parliament and explain what was known and when. He has also questioned whether Mandelson will lose the Labour whip or be forced to resign from the House of Lords. Tice has suggested that Starmer would be "very lucky" to last as prime minister until May 2026, indicating his belief that the scandal will significantly damage Starmer's political standing.[176]
Speaker of the House of CommonsLindsay Hoyle announced an emergency debate on the scandal in the House of Commons, secured by Conservative backbench MP David Davis.[177] The debate focused on the inadequate vetting process that led to Mandelson's appointment, despite his known ties to Epstein. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated in a letter that the Foreign Office was not responsible for the failure to vet Lord Mandelson properly. She clarified that the due diligence was conducted by the Cabinet Office before the appointment was made public. The Foreign Office indicated that it was not asked to contribute to the initial vetting and distanced itself from the failure to recognise risks. This shifted responsibility towards the Cabinet Office and Starmer. Starmer was heavily criticised for not attending the debate and for his judgment in appointing Mandelson. Opposition parties accused him of "hiding from questions" and called for an apology to Epstein's victims. The debate highlighted the newly-published emails that triggered Mandelson's firing. Dame Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said "red flags were missed or ignored" and called for a review to ensure such mistakes do not happen again. Some MPs also suggested that relevant parliamentary committees should conduct pre-appointment hearings for senior positions.[178]
Davis, who secured the debate, accused Starmer of poor judgment, questioned the integrity of the vetting process, and highlighted what he calls a double standard applied to "Labour royalty". Davis has described Labour's vetting process as "completely broken" and "implausible," stating that the information revealing Mandelson's close ties to Jeffrey Epstein was in "plain sight" long before the appointment. In the emergency debate, Davis told MPs that Starmer's standing had been "diminished" by the affair. He has also stated that it is "unfathomable" how Starmer could have thought it was wise to appoint someone with such a "chequered and murky background" to the important role of US ambassador.Davis has repeatedly called for full transparency, demanding that the government release all documents related to the appointment. He has also questioned whether Mandelson will receive compensation despite being sacked and has pushed for ministers to be more accountable for their decisions. During the debate, Davis launched a scathing attack on Mandelson's character, claiming he was "easily dazzled by wealth and glamour" and that he "subcontracted his conscience for money". Davis has brought up Mandelson's previous resignations from government under Tony Blair—for an undeclared home loan and assisting a wealthy businessman with a passport—as examples of his "abiding flaws". Davis has also highlighted Mandelson's consulting work for "extremely dubious Russian and Chinese firms," arguing this should have been a red flag during the vetting process. Davis has argued that this case proves the need for greater accountability for ministers and public officials. By securing the emergency debate, Davis has forced the government to address the issue in the Commons and will continue to press for answers, stating he is not satisfied with the responses given so far. Davis has been among those calling for stronger parliamentary scrutiny of such appointments, suggesting candidates for ambassadorial roles should face cross-questioning from relevant select committees.[179]
The Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Stephen Flynn, has been a vociferous critic of Starmer and the Labour government's handling of the scandal. Flynn's attacks have focused on what he perceives as a lack of a "moral compass" at the heart of government and a failure of judgment in appointing Mandelson despite his known ties to Epstein. During the parliamentary debate on September 16, 2025, Flynn drew a warning from the Deputy Speaker after quoting Mandelson telling a Financial Times journalist to "f*** off" when asked about his links to Epstein. Flynn called Mandelson's appointment a "complete disgrace" and argued that while Mandelson called his relationship with Epstein an "FT obsession," it had become "all of our obsession now". Flynn stated, "I do not know what it is about the decades of scandals and being best friends with a notorious child trafficker and paedophile, which should have got some alarm bells ringing in No 10 before this decision was taken". Flynn has repeatedly demanded to know what Starmer knew about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein and when he knew it. He accused Starmer of ignoring "facts that were plainly in front of him not for weeks, not for hours, not for days but for months" and specifically criticised Starmer for appointing Mandelson as ambassador "knowing that that man had maintained a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein" after his 2008 conviction. After Starmer failed to attend the emergency debate on the scandal, Flynn accused the Prime Minister of "going into hiding" and suggested that while the Labour government has lurched from "one crisis to another," the "only constant in all this chaos is Keir Starmer himself". Beyond Mandelson's sacking, the SNP has demanded further action. An Early Day Motion was lodged by SNP MP Brendan O'Hara, with Flynn's support, urging Starmer to strip Mandelson of his peerage and permanently remove him from the public payroll. Flynn has joined the calls for all government documents relating to the appointment and vetting to be published.[180]
Scottish First Minister John Swinney called the sacking of Mandelson "not surprising" and questioned Starmer's judgement. When speaking to journalists, Swinney said that in light of the new information that had come out about Mandelson's links to Epstein, the dismissal was "not at all surprised by it". Swinney criticised Starmer for appointing Mandelson as ambassador in the first place, suggesting the Prime Minister "should have looked a bit more carefully at his decision". Swinney warned that the Mandelson row, along with other internal UK government issues, could risk derailing efforts to secure a better US trade deal for Scotch whisky. He called this a "very real risk" and claimed the UK government was "completely distracted". Swinney had held meetings with Trump about whisky tariffs just before Mandelson's sacking. He insisted that the UK government's trade negotiators were still pursuing the deal and that he would ensure it had "full UK government impetus". The SNP highlighted the scandal as evidence of Scotland's "diplomatic disadvantage" within the UK, noting that unlike countries of similar size, such as Ireland, Scotland lacks a full foreign office. The scandal broke while Swinney was in Washington D.C., where he had a breakfast meeting with Mandelson at the British embassy to discuss the whisky tariff issue. This was part of a wider visit to lobby on behalf of the Scottish whisky industry ahead of a US state visit. This proximity to the unfolding scandal placed Swinney in a unique position to comment on it.[181]
Former Labour MP and cabinet minister and current UK special envoy for women and girls, Harriet Harman, who has previously described herself as a detractor of Mandelson, stated on Beth Rigby's podcast Electoral Dysfunction that his failure to resign was "shameful". She argued that Mandelson should have known the gravity of his relationship with Epstein and stepped down in the "national interest" rather than being forced to leave. She described his appointment as UK ambassador to the US as a "horrible, awful episode" and expressed disbelief that Mandelson would send messages of "love and support" to a convicted sex offender, particularly as she serves as the UK's special envoy for women and girls. She publicly sided with Starmer's decision to sack Mandelson, saying, "it was right that Keir Starmer sacked him".[182]
On September 9, 2025, Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended Mandelson, stating that he should not be judged as "guilty by association" for his links to Epstein. In an interview on Sky News, Streeting insisted that Mandelson "deeply regrets ever having been introduced" to Epstein. He argued against dismissing someone based purely on their past connections, stating, "I don't think we should regard everyone as guilty by association". Streeting also highlighted the importance of justice for Epstein's victims, stating they should receive a platform to tell their stories.[183]
Former prime minister Gordon Brown defended Starmer in the wake of Mandelson's sacking over his links to Epstein, and stated he believes that Starmer will be "completely exonerated" over the affair. In an interview with Sky News on September 15, 2025, Brown supported Starmer's handling of the crisis and suggested that the public ultimately cares more about policy than about political personalities and scandals. When asked if the situation was a lapse in Starmer's judgement, Brown acknowledged that it "calls somewhat into his judgement" but maintained that Starmer faced difficult decisions. He predicted that Starmer would be "completely exonerated" once the full record of events was revealed, comparing the scrutiny to situations he faced during his own premiership.[184]
As the scandal began shortly before the state visit by Donald Trump to the United Kingdom, it created a diplomatic predicament for Trump, and his team were reportedly concerned about the timing, as Mandelson's dismissal over his links to Epstein could've shone an unwelcome spotlight on Trump's own past association with him. A source with knowledge of the White House's discussions said that Trump's team was "nervy" about anything that could resurface the Epstein scandal, and they were concerned Mandelson's dismissal will overshadow the UK state visit. The Guardian noted that with Trump having his own well-documented links to Epstein, "there is no subject he wants to revisit less" than the scandal surrounding Mandelson's ties to him. For Trump, whose priority was to avoid distractions during the state visit, the controversy arrived at an "especially awkward" time.[185][186]
During a September 18, 2025 press conference in the UK, Trump claimed he did not know who Mandelson was, despite having met him multiple times. Trump made the statement when asked if he had any sympathy for Mandelson after he was dismissed from his role as ambassador. In response, Trump stated: "I don't know him, actually." He added that it was a choice made by the Prime Minister and suggested Starmer was better placed to speak on the matter. Despite Trump's claim of not knowing Mandelson, multiple sources and photographic evidence show they have met on several occasions. In May 2025, Mandelson stood with Trump in the Oval Office during the announcement of a US-UK trade framework. Photos captured the two shaking hands and smiling together. According to Mandelson, Trump commented on his "beautiful accent" during one Oval Office meeting. Mandelson also received a signed note from Trump that read, "Peter, great job!".[187][188]
Other inappropriate links
On 22 April 2005, The Times revealed that Mandelson had spent the previous New Year's Eve on the yacht of Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, which was at the centre of a major EU investigation and although it did not allege impropriety, it did state that Mandelson's visit was inappropriate for a serving European Commissioner.[189]
In 2006, The Daily Mail reported that Mandelson had received a free cruise on a yacht from Diego Della Valle, a controversial Italian mogul, raising questions as Della Valle's businesses (such as luxury shoe brand Tod's) benefited from tariffs imposed shortly thereafter by Mandelson as EU Trade Commissioner on Chinese shoes.[190][191]
In October 2008, Mandelson was reported to have maintained private contacts over several years with Deripaska, most recently on holiday in August 2008 on Deripaska's yacht at Taverna Agni on the Greek island of Corfu.[198] News of the contacts sparked criticism because, as European Union Trade Commissioner, Mandelson had been responsible for two decisions to cut aluminium tariffs that had benefited Deripaska's United Company Rusal.[199] Mandelson denied that there had been a conflict of interest and said that he had never discussed aluminium tariffs with Deripaska.[200] On 26 October 2008 the Shadow Foreign SecretaryWilliam Hague said the "whole country" wanted "transparency" about Mandelson's previous meetings with Deripaska. In response, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Mandelson's dealings with Deripaska had been "found to be above board".[201] Mandelson said that meeting business figures from "across the range" in emerging economies was part of his brief as EU Trade Commissioner.[202] On 29 October 2008, while Mandelson was on a ministerial visit to Moscow,[203] it was alleged in the British press that Valery Pechenkin, the head of security at Deripaska's company Basic Element, had organised a swift entry visa for Mandelson when he turned up in Moscow to visit Deripaska in 2005.[204]
Alleged influence of pension
As a former EU Commissioner, Mandelson became entitled to a £31,000 pension upon reaching the age of 65 years. It was reported by Christopher Hope of The Daily Telegraph in 2009 that Mandelson's pension was contingent on a "duty of loyalty to the Communities", which also applied after his term in office.[205] The TaxPayers' Alliance, which was reported to have uncovered the threat to his pension, demanded that he should declare the conflict of interest and either relinquish his EU pay cheques or resign as a minister. "When one considers that his new ministerial post deals specifically with business, enterprise and regulatory reform – all areas that are intimately involved with EU legislation, regulation and policy –" the group said, "the conflict of interest is even more stark." Mandelson did not agree that he had a conflict of interests. "He has always had a clear view of British interests and how they are secured by our EU membership," a spokesperson said.[205]
The website Full Fact reported in 2019 that the claim was incorrect, stating that while there are rules governing the conduct of current and former EU staff members, which can lead to pensions sanctions, the European Commission had informed them that it would be "probably impossible" for such people to lose their pension for criticising the EU or supporting Brexit. Full Fact also pointed out that there had been multiple cases of both current and ex-commissioners criticising the EU – in April 2019, German former Commissioner Günter Verheugen criticised the EU's Brexit negotiating position, saying "the problem is on the EU side", while in 2017 British former Commissioner Lord Hill had supported "getting on" with Brexit.[206]
Personal life
Mandelson is gay and said to be "intensely private" about his personal life.[207] Mandelson considers himself a good role model for gay people because of his success in public office. Having lived in London with Reinaldo Avila da Silva, a Braziliantranslator, since March 1998,[208] Mandelson wed his partner on 28 October 2023.[20][209] The couple have a collie dog named Jock, who became popular at parties in the British ambassador's residence during his tenure in the ambassadorial office.[210]
In 2008 Mandelson was hospitalised, suffering from a kidney stone. At this time, melamine added to milk in China had caused kidney stones and other ailments in thousands of Chinese children, killing at least six. Ironically, during the previous week, Mandelson had drunk a glass of Chinese yoghurt in front of reporters in order to show his confidence in Chinese dairy products, although his own kidney stones were unrelated.[211][212]
While his sexual orientation was known to friends, colleagues and constituents, in 1987 the News of the World ran an issue that attempted to out Mandelson as gay.[207] Mandelson did not respond.[214] Mandelson was outed again by Matthew Parris in 1998 on the BBC programme Newsnight.[215] This led to press harassment of his partner, with the Daily Express sending a reporter to take pictures of him while he was at his languages course.[207]
An internal investigation later found that the photos had been obtained without Avila da Silva's consent and images of him attempting to cover his face had been secretly deleted. Mandelson phoned the BBC and the Press Complaints Commission following Newsnight's broadcast,[216] and an internal memo was later sent within the BBC, stating: "under no circumstances whatsoever should allegations about the private life of Peter Mandelson be repeated or referred to on any broadcast."[215]
In 2013 Mandelson was appointed to the revived post of High Steward of Hull, an ancient ceremonial position held by his grandfather in 1956–65 and defunct since 1974.[218] In September 2025, following the Epstein revelations, he was stripped of the role.[219]
↑ Brogan, Benedict (16 October 2000). "Mandelson 'lied over home loan'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
↑ Skelton, Charlie (19 May 2009). "Our man at Bilderberg". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 August 2009. Mandelson's office has confirmed his attendance at this year's meeting: "Yes, Lord Mandelson attended Bilberberg. He found it a valuable conference."
1 = President. 2 = Vice President. 3 = Served from 1 January 2007. 4 = Vassiliou replaced Kyprianou on 3 March 2008. 5 = Tajani replaced Frattini on 18 June 2008. 6 = Ashton replaced Mandelson on 3 October 2008. 7 = Šemeta replaced Grybauskaitė on 1 July 2009. 8 = Samecki replaced Hübner on 4 July 2009. 9 = De Gucht replaced Michel on 17 July 2009. 10 = Šefčovič replaced Figeľ on 1 October 2009.
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