PM was warned of ‘risk’ from ties to Mandelson

IR Keir Starmer was warned there was a “general reputational risk” over Lord Peter Mandelson’s relationship with paedile financier Jeffrey Epstein before giving him the role of ambassador to the US.

- PRESS ASSOCIATION

A “due diligence” document drawn up by the Cabinet Office in December 2024 before Lord Mandelson's appointment to the Washington role noted a series of reports detailing his links with Epstein.

Lord Mandelson was awarded a £75,000 taxpayer-funded payout when he was sacked nine months later, in September 2025, after further details of his relationship with Epstein emerged.

Details of Lord Mandelson’s appointment and subsequent removal from office were revealed in the first batch of documents relating to the peer released by the government in response to a demand from MPs.

‘The files showed national security adviser (NSA) Jonathan Powell believed the process for giving Lord Mandelson the job was “weirdly rushed” and the Prime Minister was also warned by officials of the potential risk to him personally if the appointment backfired.

The due diligence document noted that after Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008 “their relationship continued across 2009-11, beginning when Lord Mandelson was business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government’ noting that “Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein’s house while he was in jail in June 2009”.