Former cabinet minister quits Labour to avoid further damage amid renewed Epstein revelations
Lord Mandelson has resigned from the Labour Party, saying he does not want to cause “further embarrassment” following renewed scrutiny of his past association with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The former cabinet minister confirmed his decision after appearing in a new batch of documents released by the United States Department of Justice, which have reignited controversy surrounding Epstein’s network of contacts. Lord Mandelson said the latest developments had left him feeling regretful and apologetic, particularly towards victims of sexual abuse.
In a letter sent to Labour’s general secretary, Lord Mandelson said he had been further linked to the “understandable furore” surrounding Epstein and believed it was right to step down while he examined allegations that he insists are false. He said claims that Epstein made financial payments to him more than 20 years ago were matters he had no record or recollection of, but that they required investigation.
The documents released by US authorities suggest Epstein made three payments of $25,000, totalling $75,000, between 2003 and 2004. The payments appear in bank statements linked to Epstein’s accounts and reference Lord Mandelson as a beneficiary. It remains unclear whether the payments were ever received, and being named in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing.
Lord Mandelson said he was acting in the best interests of the Labour Party by resigning his membership and reiterated an apology to women and girls whose suffering he said should have been acknowledged far earlier. He added that he had dedicated his life to Labour’s values and did not want his personal controversy to overshadow the party.
Earlier, Lord Mandelson had said he could not confirm whether the newly released documents were authentic. He also repeated his regret for ever having known Epstein and for maintaining contact with him after the financier’s conviction, apologising unequivocally to victims of abuse.
Political reaction was swift. Labour MP Gordon McKee said Epstein’s victims would be rightly outraged by the revelations and described Lord Mandelson’s resignation as the correct course of action. Conservative figures were more critical of the government, accusing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of failing to act decisively by allowing Mandelson to resign rather than removing him from the party.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had earlier called for Lord Mandelson’s suspension and a formal investigation into his ties to Epstein. Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the government had not been aware of the alleged financial links when questioned publicly.
Lord Mandelson was appointed UK ambassador to the United States in December 2024 but was dismissed less than a year later following further disclosures about his friendship with Epstein. He has been on leave from the House of Lords since that appointment.
Emails previously released showed he remained in contact with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction, sending supportive messages. Epstein later died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The latest tranche of files also includes images said to show Lord Mandelson standing next to an unidentified woman, as well as emails suggesting he discussed government policy matters with Epstein while serving as business secretary. Lord Mandelson has said his policy discussions reflected the views of the financial sector as a whole, not the interests of any individual.
Lord Mandelson’s resignation marks a significant moment for Labour, closing another chapter in a controversy that continues to cast a long shadow over British politics.