02.02.2026 08:33
Lord Peter Mandelson, the former British Ambassador to Washington and a prominent figure in the Labour Party, resigned from his party following new allegations regarding his connections to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of running a prostitution ring for underage girls in the U.S. and died in prison while awaiting trial.
Former UK Ambassador to Washington Lord Peter Mandelson has resigned from the Labour Party following new allegations regarding his connections to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in prison while being prosecuted for allegedly running a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls in the US.
"I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE MORE SHAME"
Former Cabinet Minister and Ambassador Mandelson stated in his resignation letter to the Labour Party General Secretary that he decided to leave the party membership because he "did not want to cause more shame" due to the renewed scrutiny of his connections to Epstein.
In his letter, Peter Mandelson expressed, "I have been re-associated with allegations regarding financial payments that were allegedly made to me 20 years ago, which I do not remember or have no record of. These need to be investigated by me."
"I APOLOGIZE"
Mandelson indicated that he did not want to harm the Labour Party during this process, which is why he announced his resignation from the party membership.
Mandelson noted, "I want to apologize once again for the women and girls whose voices should have been heard much earlier."
RECORDS SHOW EPSTEIN MADE A $75,000 PAYMENT TO MANDELSON
New documents released by the US Department of Justice last Friday contained records indicating that Epstein made a total payment of $75,000 to Mandelson through three separate transactions in 2003 and 2004. The documents suggested that these payments, each amounting to $25,000, were sent from bank accounts belonging to Epstein.
In a statement following the release of the new documents, Mandelson expressed that he was not sure of their accuracy and stated that he regretted knowing Epstein and maintaining their relationship after his conviction in 2008. Mandelson expressed that he "unconditionally apologized" to the victims.
SERVED IN KENYA AND PAKISTAN
Turner, who began his diplomatic career in 1997, took on the role of Special Secretary to former Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the Middle East after serving in various positions, including the Embassy in Nairobi.
After serving as the Ambassador to Nairobi, Turner worked as Deputy National Security Advisor and International Relations Advisor to former Prime Minister Theresa May, and became the Ambassador to Islamabad in 2019.
Turner's term in Pakistan ended in 2023, and while serving as the Political Director of the Foreign Office, he was appointed as the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN in October 2025, but he had not yet started this position.
REFERRED TO EPSTEIN AS "MY BEST FRIEND"
In correspondence that emerged in the US on September 9, 2025, it was revealed that Peter Mandelson, who began at the UK Embassy in Washington in February 2025, referred to Epstein as "my best friend."
In a birthday message Mandelson sent to Epstein, he wrote, "You would wait for hours for him to come. Most of the time, when you got used to having him around, you would suddenly find yourself alone again. Instead, you would be left with some interesting friends you had to entertain."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed Mandelson on September 11, 2025, after his connections to billionaire Epstein, who was found dead in prison while being prosecuted for allegedly running a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls in the US, came to light.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Epstein, who was charged with sexually abusing dozens of girls under the age of 18, including the youngest being 14, and running a sex trafficking ring, was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, New York, on August 10, 2019, while in custody.
The Epstein case files revealed names of famous individuals, including Prince Andrew, US President Donald Trump, former US President Bill Clinton, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, former US Vice President Al Gore, actor Kevin Spacey, singer Michael Jackson, illusionist David Copperfield, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
The FBI also stated that following its investigation with the US Department of Justice, it found no evidence of a "client list" involving famous individuals, and concluded that Epstein, who was alleged to have been murdered to cover up the crimes involving government officials, celebrities, and business people, actually committed suicide in his cell.