Mandelson pictured in underwear with unnamed woman

UK’s former US envoy quits Labour Party over fresh reports of ties with Epstein

Mandelson, who served as a minister under Tony Blair, says reports he received $75,000 from Epstein are false, but is quitting Labour to spare party ‘further embarrassment’

LONDON (Reuters) — Former British government minister Peter Mandelson said he had resigned as a member of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party after new reports of his ties with late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Mandelson, who was fired by Starmer as Britain’s ambassador to the United States last year after previous revelations about his connections to Epstein, said he did not wish to cause “further embarrassment” to Labour.

“I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this,” Mandelson said in a letter to the Labour Party, which was shared with British media.

Plans to investigate latest allegations

Mandelson said he believed that allegations about financial payments to him by Epstein, which were published by British media based on files released by the US Justice Department, were false and said he would investigate them. The Financial Times said the files showed that accounts connected to Mandelson had received $75,000.

“While doing this I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party,” the letter said.

Mandelson also appears in newly released, undated photographs, wearing a T‑shirt and underwear beside a woman whose face has been redacted by US authorities.

He told the BBC he “cannot place the location or the woman and I cannot think what the circumstances were.”

Other documents suggest Epstein sent 10,000 pounds in 2009 to Reinaldo Avila da Silva, Mandelson’s partner, at a time when Mandelson was serving as a government minister.

Olivia Bailey, a minister in Britain’s Department for Education, told Times Radio on Monday that it was “right” that Mandelson was no longer a member of the Labour Party.

During the late 1990s, Mandelson had an important role in Labour’s electoral success as Tony Blair became prime minister.

Mandelson came under scrutiny last year when US lawmakers released documents, including a letter in which he called Epstein “my best pal,” leading to his dismissal as Britain’s envoy in Washington.

Mandelson also had a turbulent earlier career in domestic politics. In 1998, he quit as trade minister over a loan he received from a fellow minister to buy a house following questions over conflict of interest.

A second stint in the cabinet also ended in a resignation in 2001 when he was forced out over his alleged involvement in a passport scandal involving an Indian billionaire. He was later cleared of acting improperly.

Mandelson, a former European Union trade commissioner, is on leave of absence as a member of the upper house of Britain’s national parliament.

Separately, Starmer said on Saturday that Britain’s former Prince Andrew should testify before a US congressional committee, following new revelations about his links to Epstein.

AFP contributed to this report