By Ben Kerrigan-
Lord Nelson Mandelson betrayed Great Britain, prime minister Starmer has said in a stinging criticism of the Lord.
Records released by Th US Department Of Justice files relating to the Epstein case including images of Mr Mandelson in his underpants, suggested that in 2009 the UK politician, while business secretary, forwarded an economic briefing to Epstein intended for then-prime minister Gordon Brown.
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Epstein was also revealed to have transferred $75,000 in three payments to accounts linked to the veteran Labour politician between 2003 and 2004.
Mr Starmer said he regretted appointing Mr Mandelson as ambassador to the US, saying he “repeatedly” lied and misrepresented his ties to Epstein.
Mr Starmer said he had agreed with King Charles that Mr Mandelson should be removed from the formal body of advisers to the sovereign over his links with Epstein.
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Sir Keir said Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald would lead the process of deciding what could be released and he hoped MPs would understand “the sensitivity of information about security and intelligence and trade relations that are inevitably caught in exchanges of the nature that have been asked for”.
Sir Keir Starmer and Lord Peter Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador’s residence in Washington (Carl Court/PA)
Following the Prime Minister’s Questions exchanges a Conservative spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the Prime Minister has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgment.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover-up by having his own Government mark his homework.
“All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Sir Keir said Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald would lead the process of deciding what could be released and he hoped MPs would understand “the sensitivity of information about security and intelligence and trade relations that are inevitably caught in exchanges of the nature that have been asked for”.
Documents released as part of the US Department of Justice’s Epstein Files appear to show Lord Mandelson passing potentially market sensitive information to his friend in 2009, while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government.
The BBC reported Lord Mandelson argues he had sought Epstein’s expertise in the national interest before the financial crisis.
Following the Prime Minister’s Questions exchanges a Conservative spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the Prime Minister has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgment.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover-up by having his own Government mark his homework.
“All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
The serious consequences from the latest trove of millions of documents linked to Epstein has also had its effect in the United States , where former president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary will testify in Congress later this month.
The US president took the opportunity when questioned at a news conference to state once again that he had been cleared by latest trove of files following questionning by reporters.
“Nothing came out about me other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally, by Epstein and other people. But I think it’s time now for the country to maybe get on to something else like health care or something that people care about,” Mr Trump said.
The US president added that it was “not a Republican, it’s a Democrat problem”, in a bid to turn the issue back to the Clintons, and away from the mention in the files of allies including his Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and billionaire Elon Musk.
“It’s a shame,” he said of the Clintons.
Mandelson, who came into politics with deep Labour roots, his grandfather, Herbert Morrison, being a senior Labour cabinet minister in the postwar Attlee government, has had a political career characterised by highs and lows, but probably has now sinked to the lowest.
He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, and early on developed a keen interest in politics. After university he became involved with the Trades Union Congress and was elected to Lambeth Borough Council in 1979, though he later resigned, disillusioned with the local left-wing leadership.
In the mid-1980s he moved into political communications. In 1985 Mandelson was appointed Labour Party Director of Communications, an influential role where he helped modernise the party’s public image under leaders like Neil Kinnock.
Mandelson quickly became a prominent figure in government under Tony Blair’s government following the latter’s 1997 election victory.
Following senior roles for the party between 1997 and 2010 under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, he was established as a central player in New Labour — the modernising, centrist wing of the party.
He was widely seen as persuasive, intellectually sharp and highly influential behind the scenes. Indeed, his reputation for political strategy earned him the nickname the “Prince of Darkness.
Mandelson’s career has been punctuated by high-profile setbacks, after resigning in 1998 after failing to declare an interest-free loan from a ministerial colleague when buying a house, and in 2001 amid allegations over his intervention in a passport application case.
Both times he returned to prominence, underlining his resilience and confidence of many of his peers. This time, the fall will appear to be so hard that the road to return will be a very hard, long, if not impossible one.
He expose the lack of integrity that often exists amongst those with the duty to uphold dignity and honour most, and set the standards for all to follow.
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