Mandelson-Epstein latest: Calls for peer to face criminal probe after leaking No 10 tax plans to sex offender
The prime minister also requested an urgent review of the contact between the former minister and Jeffrey Epstein
Lord Peter Mandelson is facing calls to face a criminal investigation after it emerged that he had leaked confidential Downing Street documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: "The Epstein files suggest Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to a convicted sex offender while serving as a minister, and even suggested a US bank should threaten the Government to lower its tax bill.
“These allegations are incredibly serious, it is now only right that the police investigate Peter Mandelson for potential misconduct in public office."
The internal email was originally sent to Gordon Brown in 2009 in the wake of the financial crisis.
Sir Keir Starmer believes Lord Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use his title, according to Downing Street, following further revelations about the peer’s links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The cabinet secretary has been asked by Sir Keir to review all available information regarding Lord Mandelson’s contact with Epstein during his period as a government minister.
The former US ambassador is facing calls to reveal all he knew about Epstein to US lawmakers, as the peer resigned his membership of the Labour Party to avoid causing it “further embarrassment”.
Calls for police to investigate Mandelson
Following allegations that Lord Mandelson leaked confidential Downing Street documents to Jeffrey Epstein, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has called on the police to investigate.
He said: "The Epstein files suggest Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to a convicted sex offender while serving as a minister, and even suggested a US bank should threaten the Government to lower its tax bill.
“These allegations are incredibly serious, it is now only right that the police investigate Peter Mandelson for potential misconduct in public office."
Zack Polanski says 'another Labour manifesto promise broken'
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has accused Labour of breaking its manifesto, which included a commitment to "[strengthen] circumstances in which disgraced members can be removed".
In a post shared on X, he attached a photo of Labour's 2024 manifesto, which says the party will "ensure all peers meet the high standards the public expect of them".
"Blink and you miss it - another Labour manifesto promise broken," Polanski wrote.
What was in the No10 email Mandelson sent to Epstein?
Emails have shown that internal discussions from the heart of Gordon Brown’s government were passed to Epstein in 2009.
Lord Mandelson, who was then-business secretary, wrote to Epstein in June 2009, describing an “interesting note that’s gone to the PM”, forwarding an assessment by Mr Brown’s adviser Nick Butler of business confidence and potential policy measures including an “asset sales plan”.
The sensitive email also contains tax policies and states that the business sector believed the Tories would win the next general election.
It calls on Mr Brown’s government to develop an active financial policy by selling off “saleable assets” to the private sector to relieve debt.
This would allow Labour to go into the election with a pledge not to make any further increases to corporate or top rate income taxes.
Epstein responded by asking “what salable (sic) assets”, with a reply from a redacted email address saying “land, property I guess”.
Analysis: Why has Starmer changed his tune on Mandelson in the last 24 hours?
Our political editor David Maddox writes....
As revelation after revelation about Lord Mandelson and his friend the convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein emerge, Labour has gone into full damage limitation mode.
The announcement that the peer was already subject to disciplinary action within the party and confirmation that Sir Keir Starmer does not think he should be in the Lords or use his title have all come out this morning.
But over the weekend it was a different story.
On Sunday, Labour sources briefed that on background re Mandelson was on leave of absence from the House of Lords at the moment, so not currently on the whip.
They noted that peers on leave of absence have to give three months notice to the House authorities to apply to return to the Lords.
Crucially, they added that membership of Labour whip for someone on leave of absence “only becomes an issue when or if they apply to return to the House.”
This was a very different tone and messaging from the ones this morning. But what has changed?
The revelation Mandelson passed on a confidential email from former PM Gordon Brown to Epstein? The picture of Mandelson in his underpants?
We already knew that Mandelson had attempted to help Epstein fight his convictions and was a close friend of his.
The issue of alleged financial payments to Madelson was around yesterday when the original briefing was given.
It appears at some point overnight, Sir Keir decided he had enough of the peer and ordered a change of messaging.
Starmer asks for review of all information regarding Epstein and Mandelson
Downing Street said the prime minister has asked cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald to review “all available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a government minister”.
Asked what prompted the prime minister’s action, the spokesman said it was “a response to the totality of the new information over the weekend” since the release of the latest Epstein papers.
“I’m not talking about specific pieces of material that emerged, but the Prime Minister has asked for an urgent review, and that’s why the Cabinet Secretary has been asked to look at all available information regarding Mandelson’s contacts with Epstein during his period as a government minister.”
Sarwar: Right that Mandelson has quit Labour
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said it is “right” that Lord Peter Mandelson has quit the party over his links with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
But he refused to say earlier on Monday if the former Labour government minister, who was stripped of his role as ambassador to the US because of relationship with Epstein, should remain in the House of Lords.
“I think this is a matter now for the House of Lords and for the Houses of Parliament around who they think merits being in the Parliament or not,” Mr Sarwar said.
“My understanding is this would require legislation, rather than a simple political decision.
“But I think the right decision has been made for him to leave the Labour Party.”
Starmer urges Lords to make it easier to remove disgraced peers
Sir Keir urged the Lords to work with the government to modernise disciplinary procedures to make it easier to remove disgraced peers.
Under the current arrangements, a new law would be required to remove a peerage, something that last happened more than 100 years ago to deal with members of the nobility who sided with the Germans in the First World War.
Downing Street said the prime minister has also asked cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald to review “all available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a government minister”.
Lord Mandelson resigned his Labour membership late on Sunday night and the party has said he was facing disciplinary action.
Starmer says Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords
Sir Keir Starmer believes Lord Mandelson “should not be a member of the House of Lords”, according to Downing Street.
He has also asked the cabinet secretary to “urgently” review all available information on contact between the former minister and Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson has been ousted from Labour – but Starmer hasn’t heard the end of it
The scandal has echoes of the Christopher Pincher affair – which finished off Boris Johnson, writes political editor David Maddox.
Former government officials ‘shocked’ by revelation Mandelson leaked No 10 emails
The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
Government figures in office at the time Lord Peter Mandelson appeared to have leaked internal No 10 emails to Jeffrey Epstein are “shocked” by the revelation.
Emails released in the latest so-called Epstein files include emails sent to then-prime minister Gordon Brown, that had been forwarded on to the disgraced financier by Lord Mandelson.
Journalist Dan Neidle, founder of Tax Policy Associates, said he had spoken to people in government at the time who he said are “shocked at this”.
“I think everyone in government would say that is an improper thing to do,” he told Times Radio.
He added: “I think we're probably just scratching the surface of what's in there.”
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