Peter Mandelson, a veteran figure in British politics and former UK ambassador to the United States, is set to retire from the House of Lords following fresh disclosures linking him to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier.
The decision, announced by the chamber’s speaker, comes amid mounting political pressure, a police review of alleged misconduct, and widening scrutiny of the Labour government’s handling of the matter.
Mandelson had already resigned from the Labour Party days earlier, as newly released documents intensified questions about his past conduct in government.
The latest release from the Epstein files, comprising more than three million pages related to a US Justice Department case, details email exchanges in which Mandelson shared political and economic information with Epstein.
Some of the correspondence dates to the period surrounding the 2008 global financial crisis, when Mandelson served as UK business secretary.
Documents show he sent an internal government report examining options to raise funds after the financial crash, including possible sales of state assets.
In another message sent in May 2010, Mandelson relayed information indicating that a €500 billion European bailout was nearing completion, hours before it was publicly announced.
The UK government has told police that the material appears to contain “likely market-sensitive information” that should not have been shared outside official channels.
Police said they are reviewing reports to determine whether the allegations meet the threshold for a criminal investigation.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his Cabinet that he was appalled by the revelations and concerned that further details could yet emerge.
His office said the government would cooperate fully with any police inquiries.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown has written to the Metropolitan Police, providing correspondence and describing Mandelson’s alleged actions as “an inexcusable and unpatriotic act at a time when the whole government and country were attempting to address the global financial crisis”.
Opposition figures said Mandelson’s rapid fall from senior diplomatic and political roles has increased scrutiny on Labour’s leadership decisions.
The government has also ordered an urgent civil service review of all contacts between Mandelson and Epstein during his time in office.