Lord Peter Mandelson has resigned from the UK Labour Party, citing his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and stating he does not want to “bring further shame” to the party.
Newly released documents from the U.S. Department of Justice allege that Epstein made three payments totaling $75,000 between 2003 and 2004 connected to Mandelson. Mandelson, a former UK minister, insists the claims are false and says he has no memory or evidence of such payments.
In a letter to Labour’s general secretary, Mandelson expressed that he is “deeply sorry and regretful” for his association with Epstein, particularly after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, and extended apologies to Epstein’s victims.
Labour MP Gordon McKee stated that the victims have every right to be outraged by the revelations and praised Mandelson for resigning voluntarily. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party criticized Labour leader Keir Starmer, arguing that Mandelson should have been expelled, with party leader Kemi Badenoch calling for a formal investigation and suspension.
Documents include bank records showing payments from Epstein-linked accounts at JP Morgan, Barclays, and HSBC, and edited photos of Mandelson, which he says he does not recall. Emails suggest Mandelson continued communication with Epstein post-conviction, including discussions on UK banking bonus tax policies. Authorities stress that being mentioned in these documents does not automatically imply guilt.
Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on new sexual trafficking charges in New York.
