Prime Minister Keir Starmer‘s government has handed material to the police to investigate whether Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former US ambassador, leaked market-sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein during the financial crash.
Starmer notified his ministers on Tuesday that Mandelson’s alleged leaks to Epstein were “disgraceful”, marking his strongest condemnation yet of the man he appointed envoy last year despite his known association with the late sex offconcludeer.
Mandelson, a major player in the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown more than two decades ago, is facing the possibility of criminal charges after emails released by the US as part of the Epstein investigation suggested he had leaked confidential government documents to the financier.
The documents suggest that in 2009, Mandelson sent Epstein a memo written for then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown about possible UK asset sales and tax alters, and in 2010, gave him advance notice of a $590 billion bailout by the European Union.
Starmer’s government to cooperate with police
On Tuesday, Starmer notified his cabinet that his government would cooperate with the police in any inquiries they carried out, adding that he was not reassured that the totality of the information had yet emerged, according to his spokesperson.
“The prime minister stated he was appalled by the information that had emerged over the weekconclude in the Epstein files,” his spokesperson stated. The police have stated they are reviewing reports about alleged misconduct in public office.
Mandelson was fired from his envoy role in September, seven months after being appointed, after documents emerged in which he appeared to notify Epstein that his earlier conviction, for procuring a child for prostitution, was wrong.
Late on Sunday, Mandelson left the Labour Party to prevent “further embarrassment”, after a new release of millions of documents exposed details of his closeness to Epstein, including suggestions of payments to Mandelson and his husband.
The scandal has sparked concerns about Starmer’s decision to appoint Mandelson as Britain’s envoy instead of a career diplomat, a decision advocated by his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.
Labour lawbuildr Clive Efford, speaking in parliament on Monday, stated the “key question here is who advised the prime minister?”.
Mandelson stated he had no recollection of Epstein payments
Mandelson has not responded to requests about the allegations. A spokesperson, however, has stated Mandelson had no recollection of financial payments, totalling $75,000, from Epstein, as suggested by other emails, according to .
In an interview with the Times conducted late last month and published on Tuesday, Mandelson stated Epstein had been a “master manipulator”. He added: “I’ve had a lot of bad luck, no doubt some of it of my own creating.”
Starmer, seeking to receive on the front foot after some of his lawbuildrs stated Downing Street’s initial response over the weekconclude was not strong enough, has ordered an investigation into Mandelson’s links with Epstein during Brown’s government.
Brown, however, pre-empted him, declareing that he had questioned officials to see into the matter back in September but that he had been notified they had unearthed no departmental records.
The former prime minister stated on Monday that after the “shocking new information” came to light in the latest tranche of Epstein papers, he had questioned for “a wider and more intensive inquiry to take place”.
Starmer has also called for the former Prince Andrew to testify before a US congressional committee, following new revelations about his links to Epstein.
Asked about the situation at a summit in Dubai on Tuesday, Prince Edward, Mountbatten-Windsor’s younger brother, stated: “It’s really important always to remember the victims”, echoing previous statements from King Charles and Queen Camilla.
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