Former British Ambassador to the United States Lord Peter Mandelson has resigned from the ruling left-wing Labour Party following the latest disclosures about his connections to convicted pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson, a longtime Labour power broker who once served as Tony Blair’s spin doctor and later as Sir Keir Starmer’s ambassador to Washington, stepped down from the party on Sunday night, saying he did not want to “cause further embarrassment.”
According to The Times of London, Mandelson’s decision comes after the release of a new batch of documents from the U.S. Department of Justice detailing relationships tied to Epstein. Some of those documents reference Mandelson directly, including a photograph showing him in underwear and a T-shirt speaking with a woman wearing a white bathrobe. Not exactly the kind of photo you frame for your office wall.
Mandelson had already been removed from his ambassadorial role in September because of his Epstein ties. He previously claimed he was unaware of Epstein’s sexual crimes because he is gay, telling the BBC that he was kept separate from that part of Epstein’s life. Still, he issued an apology to Epstein’s victims, saying the system failed them by protecting Epstein instead of listening to the women who came forward.
“If I had known, if I was in any way complicit or culpable, of course I would apologise for it,” Mandelson said, while also insisting he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal behavior. He added that he would regret “to my dying day” that powerless women were not given the protection they deserved.
The documents released by the Trump administration also show alleged communications between Epstein and Mandelson, including one exchange in which Mandelson appeared to say he would try to influence government policy on banker bonuses. At the time, Mandelson was serving as Gordon Brown’s business secretary. He has argued that his motivations were broader than any single conversation with Epstein.
Other records appear to show Epstein transferring $75,000 to accounts allegedly connected to Mandelson. Mandelson said he has no recollection or documentation of such transfers and could not verify whether the records are accurate.
Once again, the Epstein files are exposing uncomfortable connections for powerful figures overseas—this time hitting the heart of Britain’s Labour Party. While Mandelson steps aside to spare his party further damage, the broader lesson is clear: transparency is forcing accountability, and even the political elite can’t outrun the paper trail forever. In the end, sunlight still does its job—and that’s good news for anyone who believes in truth and consequences.
