Lord Peter Mandelson said he has resigned his membership of the Labour Party to avoid causing it “further embarrassment” following further revelations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The peer, who was sacked as US ambassador last year because of his links to Epstein, featured in documents released by the US Department of Justice on Friday related to the paedophile financier.
Lord Mandelson said he had written on Sunday evening to Hollie Ridley, general secretary of the Labour Party to say he was stepping down from his party membership.
In his letter, he said: “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this.
“Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me.
“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.”
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