‘Starmer was warned over Mandelson’s Epstein links,’ says British government
• British govt releases ‘first tranche’ of documents; more files withheld due to police probe
• Vetting memo directly cautioned UK premier about ‘reputational risks’ associated with envoy pick
• Top national security officials found appointment process ‘unusual’ and ‘weirdly rushed’
LONDON: The British government on Wednesday released documents showing Prime Minister Keir Starmer was warned about the “reputational risks” of appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington due to his close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The publication of the first tranche of documents revives questions about the prime minister’s judgement and does little to reduce the political pressure on Starmer, who is already under fire over the appointment and a series of policy U-turns.
The more than 100 pages of document suggest senior officials raised concerns about Mandelson not only over his friendship with Epstein but also his previous resignations from government and his support for closer ties with China.
Starmer ultimately sacked Mandelson from what is considered Britain’s most prestigious diplomatic posting in September, after the depth of his ties to Epstein started to become clearer.
A key document from the vetting process, labelled “Advice to the prime minister, checks conducted on 4 December, 2024”, detailed the persistence of the relationship after Epstein’s initial conviction.
“After Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008, their relationship continued across 2009-2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government,” the document stated.
It also noted that “Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein’s House while he was in jail in June 2009”.
Concerns about the selection process were also documented. A summary of a call between the prime minister’s general counsel and the national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, revealed Powell found the appointment process “unusual” and “weirdly rushed”.
According to the note, Powell had raised concerns about Mandelson’s “reputation” with Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s chief of staff at the time. Philip Barton, then the top official at the foreign ministry, “also had reservations around the appointment”, the document said.
Starmer’s allies have tried to play down the importance of the initial release, stating that an ongoing police investigation means some of the more revealing exchanges are being withheld for now.
Further documents are set to be released later, which the prime minister’s team claims will prove Mandelson lied to officials about the extent of his relationship with Epstein before his appointment in December 2024.
Darren Jones, Starmer’s chief secretary to the Treasury, told lawmakers last month that this first set of documents would not include direct correspondence between the prime minister’s office and Mandelson due to the probe.
The controversy has already had significant consequences. Mandelson, a major figure in the Labour party when it was last in power over 15 years ago, resigned from the House of Lords in February over his links to Epstein.
Last month, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and later released on bail.
Starmer has publicly expressed regret over his decision, saying the Labour veteran created a “litany of deceit” about his connections to Epstein. The apology has done little to quiet opposition calls for the prime minister to step down over the matter.
“Whilst the documents point to public reports of an ongoing relationship between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein, the advice did not expose the depth and extent of their relationship,” Jones told parliament Wednesday, defending the government’s initial assessment.
Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2026