The British government has stepped back under pressure from the opposition and members of the ruling Labour Party, agreeing to release documents related to politician Peter Mandelson, who appeared in files linked to the notorious convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The documents concerning Mandelson’s appointment as Ambassador to Washington in 2024 will be submitted to a special parliamentary committee for review. The government had previously refused to disclose the material, citing national security concerns.
Earlier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that he regretted assigning Mandelson to the post two years ago.
“Mandelson betrayed our country, Parliament, and my party. Mr Speaker, he repeatedly lied to my team when questioned about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador. I regret appointing him,” Starmer said.
Mandelson is reported to have received payments from the disgraced financier Epstein and to have sent him government documents during his time as Business Secretary approximately 15 years ago.
Additional materials from the case file reportedly include previously unpublished images, among them photographs of Jeffrey Epstein’s body and the prison cell where he took his own life.
