Lord Mandelson has insisted he will not “hide under a rock” despite the “shocking” email revelations related to his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“Hiding under a rock would be a disproportionate response to a handful of misguided historical emails, which I deeply regret sending,” he told The Times on Monday.
He added: “I too am amazed by some of the conversations I had and areas of my life where I was seeking advice from Epstein.”
Lord Mandelson’s remarks come as the Metropolitan Police said it will review reports into alleged misconduct in a public office after the peer was accused of leaking sensitive information to Epstein.
In a statement, the force said it had received "a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office" following the release of millions of documents relating to Epstein by the US Department of Justice last Friday.
The files apparently showed Lord Mandelson passing information to Epstein while the peer was a cabinet minister in Gordon Brown’s government.
Mr Brown himself has demanded an investigation into the “wholly unacceptable disclosure” of information to Epstein.
Sir Keir Starmer is set to chair Cabinet on Tuesday morning after the prime minister called for his former ambassador to Washington to quit the House of Lords, with Downing Street saying Sir Keir believes he should “not be a member… or use the title”.
Read MoreWhat are the main revelations from the new Epstein files release?
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Lord Mandelson: The ‘Dark Lord’ faces prospect of losing title over Epstein ties
How Lord Mandelson fell from grace
Key Points
- Mandelson describes attention from Epstein files as like 'drive-by shooting'
- Mandelson gave Epstein advanced notice of a €500bn bail out to save the Euro
- Police receive number of reports of 'alleged misconduct in public office'
- Pictured: Epstein and Mandelson together in latest release
- Mandelson breaks silence about husband's money from Epstein
- Could Lord Mandelson’s peerage be revoked?
- Trump claims he was never 'friendly' with Epstein
- Harman joins calls for Mandelson to be removed from Privy Council and barred from Lords return
Harman joins calls for Mandelson to be removed from Privy Council and prevented from returning to Lords
08:03 , Tara CobhamPolitical correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Baroness Harman has joined calls for Lord Mandelson to be removed from the Privy Council and prevented from returning to the House of Lords.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she believes Labour’s manifesto pledge to remove disgraced members from the House of Lords will be “got on with”, adding: “In the meantime, I think the Prime Minister could be advising the King to stop him from being a privy councillor.
“And I also think that, he’s on leave of absence, at the moment, from the House of Lords, having stepped out of the House of Lords to be our ambassador, and I think it would be good for the Lords to pass a motion to say that he’s not to reapply to come back in.”
Baroness Harman believed Mandelson to be untrustworthy since 1990s
07:51 , Tara CobhamBaroness Harman said she has believed Lord Mandelson to be untrustworthy since the 1990s, but “could never have believed” he would leak information while a cabinet minister.
She said: “I was of the view that Peter Mandelson was untrustworthy from the 1990s, but he was appointed by Tony Blair, he was appointed by Gordon Brown, and appointed again by Sir Keir Starmer.
“But even I, who had a view that he was untrustworthy, I could never have believed that, Gordon Brown having appointed him to the cabinet, that he would sit in that cabinet and leak information whilst the government was struggling to protect the country from the global financial crisis.
“Even I have been shocked at the degree of his wrongdoing.”
Mandelson has 'cast a stain' over politics, Baroness Harman says
07:41 , Tara CobhamLord Mandelson has “cast a stain” over politics amid accusations he leaked sensitive government information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, Baroness Harman has said.
Baroness Harman, who was leader of the Commons and deputy Labour leader when Lord Mandelson was business secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “What’s so terrible about what Peter Mandelson has done is that it’s played into the sense that people have that politicians are all the same, we’re all in it for ourselves, we’re all in it for money.
“That is not the case, but what Peter Mandelson has done is cast a stain over, not just this Government, but over politics as a whole. I’m sure the Government are in absolutely no doubt about the seriousness of it, and will be taking action and Peter Mandelson will be held accountable.”
Lord Mandelson should testify in the US over links with Epstein, minister says
07:34 , Tara CobhamPolitical correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
A government minister has said Lord Mandelson should testify in the US after fresh revelations about his links with Jeffrey Epstein emerged this week.
"We've been very clear that anybody with any evidence around the whole Epstein issue should go and testify", Karin Smyth told Sky News.
Pressed on whether Lord Mandelson specifically should go and testify, she said: "That's a yes, isn't it, because anybody who's got information should support the investigation and should be as open as they can be."
What are the main revelations from the new Epstein files release?
07:00 , Bryony Gooch What are the main revelations from the new Epstein files release?
Recap: Police receive number of reports of 'alleged misconduct in public office'
06:00 , Bryony GoochThe Metropolitan Police has received “a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office” following the release of millions of documents relating to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Commander Ella Marriott said: “We are aware of the further release of millions of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice.
“Following this release and subsequent media reporting, the Met has received a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office. The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation.
“As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate.”
Analysis: Mandelson has been ousted – but Starmer hasn’t heard the end of it
05:00 , Bryony Gooch Mandelson has been ousted from Labour – but Starmer hasn’t heard the end of it
Watch: Epstein survivors hold up childhood photos from when they were abused
04:00 , Bryony GoochCould Lord Mandelson’s peerage be revoked?
03:00 , Bryony GoochOur political reporter, Athena Stavrou, shares:
Although Lord Peter Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday, it is unlikely his peerage will be revoked.
The former US ambassador became a Labour Peer in 2008, but is currently on a leave of absence.
There have been calls in recent days to remove him from the House of Lords altogether, in light of the fresh claims that emerged over the weekend.
But to do so would require a complicated process, in which the government would have to propose and pass a specific piece of legislation to remove his peerage.
Early Education Minister Olivia Bailey said on Monday morning that she understands Lord Mandelson has no plans to return to the Lords currently.
If he were to do so, he would have to give three months’ notice. He will have to make a decision when the next parliamentary session begins in May whether to apply for another leave of absence or return, or he could retire at any time.
Mandelson gave Epstein advanced notice of a €500bn bail out to save the Euro
02:00 , Bryony GoochLord Mandelson appeared to give Jeffrey Epstein advance notice of a €500bn bailout to save the Euro.
He messaged Epstein about the bailout on the evening of 9 May 2010, before it was formally announced the following morning.
Recap: What was in the No10 email Mandelson sent to Epstein?
01:00 , Holly EvansEmails have shown that internal discussions from the heart of Gordon Brown’s government were passed to Epstein in 2009.
Lord Mandelson, who was then-business secretary, wrote to Epstein in June 2009, describing an “interesting note that’s gone to the PM”, forwarding an assessment by Mr Brown’s adviser Nick Butler of business confidence and potential policy measures including an “asset sales plan”.
The sensitive email also contains tax policies and states that the business sector believed the Tories would win the next general election.
It calls on Mr Brown’s government to develop an active financial policy by selling off “saleable assets” to the private sector to relieve debt.
This would allow Labour to go into the election with a pledge not to make any further increases to corporate or top rate income taxes.
Epstein responded by asking “what salable (sic) assets”, with a reply from a redacted email address saying “land, property I guess”.
Editorial: Lord Mandelson must hand in his title and face up to Congress
00:00 , Bryony Gooch Lord Mandelson must hand in his title and face up to Congress
Pictured: Epstein and Mandelson together in latest release
Monday 2 February 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch Government ready to 'provide support to police'
Monday 2 February 2026 22:58 , Bryony GoochThe Government has said it is ready to “provide whatever support and assistance the police need” after the Metropolitan Police received reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office.
The force said it had received the reports following the release of another tranche of documents relating to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
A Government spokesperson said: “It is rightly for the police to determine whether to investigate and the government stands ready to provide whatever support and assistance the police need.”
Watch: Jeffrey Epstein chases women around his island home and dances in new files release
Monday 2 February 2026 22:00 , Bryony GoochMandelson breaks silence about husband's money from Epstein
Monday 2 February 2026 21:40 , Bryony GoochLord Mandelson has explained why his husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva accepted money from Jeffrey Epstein to fund an osteopathy course.
Referring to the disgraced financier as the “bubonic plague”, he said “Epstein told Reinaldo that he had an educational foundation which gave bursaries or scholarships and offered one for an osteopathy course. I saw this as kindness, nothing more. It was a great help to Reinaldo and I thanked him.
“In retrospect, it was clearly a lapse in our collective judgment for Reinaldo to accept this offer. At the time it was not a consequential decision.”
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Reinaldo.
Mandelson describes attention from Epstein files as like 'drive-by shooting'
Monday 2 February 2026 21:20 , Bryony GoochIn a new interview released by The Times, Lord Mandelson has compared losing his ambassadorship due to the Jeffrey Epstein files to a “drive-by shooting”.
“It was like a 5.30am drive-by shooting,” he told Katy Balls. “I was at the edge of something. Suddenly, I was put at the centre of it — as a result of historical emails of which I have no memory and no record.”
“It felt like being killed without actually dying,” he added, looking back at what he described as a “life-changing crisis”.
Sean O'Grady: Of course Peter Mandelson deserves to be thrown out of the Lords
Monday 2 February 2026 21:00 , Bryony Gooch Quitting Labour isn’t enough – Peter Mandelson deserves to be thrown out of the Lords
Trump claims he was never 'friendly' with Epstein
Monday 2 February 2026 20:58 , Daniel KeaneUS president Donald Trump has said he was “never friendly” with Jeffrey Epstein.
In a social media post, the US president wrote: “So much for the Radical Left’s hope against hope, some of whom I’ll be suing.
"Additionally, unlike so many people that like to 'talk' trash, I never went to the infested Epstein island", he added.
Almost six thousand entries referencing Mandelson in Epstein library
Monday 2 February 2026 20:00 , Bryony GoochLord Peter Mandelson has almost six thousand entries referring to him in the Epstein library, a search by The Independent has found.
The Justice Department released more than 3 million pages of files related to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein on Friday.
A search on the Department’s dedicated search tool of the Full Epstein Library shows 5,937 results for the term “Mandelson”, many of which referring to correspondence between the disgraced financier and the Lord.
Epstein files reveal paedophile financier’s desperate attempts to court Vladimir Putin
Monday 2 February 2026 19:30 , Bryony Gooch Epstein files reveal paedophile financier’s desperate attempts to court Putin
Met to review reports on 'misconduct in public office' surrounding Epstein files release
Monday 2 February 2026 19:26 , James ReynoldsThe Metropolitan Police has said it will review reports into alleged misconduct in public office in light of the newly released Epstein files.
Commander Ella Marriott, of the Metropolitan Police, said on Monday: “We are aware of the further release of millions of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice.
“Following this release and subsequent media reporting, the Met has received a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in public office. The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation.
"As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate."
Watch: Government moves to toughen Lords disciplinary procedures after Epstein-Mandelson revelations
Monday 2 February 2026 19:00 , Bryony GoochEmily Thornberry calls for Mandelson to be investigated by police
Monday 2 February 2026 18:30 , Bryony GoochMillie Cooke, political correspondent, reports:
Senior Labour backbencher Emily Thornberry has called for Lord Mandelson to be investigated by the police over suggestions he leaked internal government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
She told the Commons: "These files seem to show that PM was given £50,000 by a notorious paedophile and a few years later he sent on market sensitive information to Epstein, who worked for JP Morgan about market bailouts, the prime minister's resignation, telling them that they should 'mildly threaten' the chancellor of the Exchequer and then told him about matters of national security.
"Surely this is not a matter of whether Peter Mandelson should be in the House of Lords, this is a matter of whether the police should be involved?"
Responding, chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones said it is a "matter for the prosecution services and the police".
But he said Ms Thornberry is "right that each individual issue is wholly unacceptable and cumulatively it is also unacceptable".
"The undeclared exchange of funds, the passing on of government information, let alone the fact that those exchanges were to a convicted paedophile are wholly unconscionable", Mr Jones said, adding: "And the house will know that if any of those activities were to take place today, ministers would be swiftly relieved of their duties and could be...removed from their constituencies too."
Mandelson's assurances before his ambassadorial appointment were untrue, says Govt
Monday 2 February 2026 18:15 , Bryony GoochAssurances made by Lord Peter Mandelson before he was appointed ambassador to the US were untrue, the Government have said.
Responding to shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart, Mr Jones said: “The Prime Minister has been very clear that the declarations of interest that were put forward by Peter Mandelson were not wholly truthful.
“When it became clear from the release of information that had not been the case, the Prime Minister moved swiftly to remove Peter Mandelson as the ambassador to the United States.”
He said further investigations were now taking place by the Cabinet Secretary into the exchange of information on the sale of RBS assets to JP Morgan.
He said: “Evidently now that more documents have become available to the public and to the Government, further investigations are now taking place.”
How could Lord Mandelson lose his peerage?
Monday 2 February 2026 18:00 , Bryony GoochSir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said he “believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title”.
“However, the Prime Minister does not have the power to remove it,” the spokesman added.
Lord Mandelson, who is on a leave of absence from the upper chamber, could resign voluntarily.
Under current arrangements, a new law would be required to remove a peerage, something that last happened more than 100 years ago to deal with members of the nobility who sided with the Germans in the First World War.
There is no precedent for using a new law to remove a specific person from the Lords.
Sir Keir urged the Lords to work with the Government to modernise disciplinary procedures to make it easier to remove disgraced peers.
Epstein celebrated Brexit with Peter Thiel
Monday 2 February 2026 17:42 , Bryony GoochJeffrey Epstein sent Palantir boss Peter Thiel emails celebrating Brexit, which he called a “return to tribalism” and “just the beginning”.
Palantir is a US-data analytics firm that has a £330 million, seven-year contract to run the NHS England Federated Data Platform.
University to remove George Mitchell’s name from peace centre over Epstein links
Monday 2 February 2026 17:34 , Bryony GoochQueen’s University Belfast is to remove the name of one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement from a peace centre because of his links with the disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
A bust of former US senator George Mitchell will also be removed from the university grounds.
Mr Mitchell chaired the negotiations which led to the 1998 peace agreement.
The former senator has a long-standing association with the university where he was chancellor from 1999 to 2009.
A Queen’s spokesperson said: “Queen’s University Belfast has taken the decision to remove the name of its former chancellor, Senator George J Mitchell, from the Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, and to remove the bust commemorating him from the University campus.
“This decision follows the emergence of new information contained in the Epstein files released on Friday, which include references to Senator Mitchell.
“While no findings of wrongdoing by senator Mitchell have been made, the university has concluded that, in light of this material, and mindful of the experiences of victims and survivors, it is no longer appropriate for its institutional spaces and entities to continue to bear his name.
“As a civic institution with a global reputation for leadership in peace, reconciliation, and justice, Queen’s University Belfast must ensure that its honours and symbols reflect the highest standards consistent with its values and responsibilities.”
Cross party support for legislation to strip Mandelson of his title
Monday 2 February 2026 17:28 , Bryony GoochPolitical editor David Maddox reports:
Veteran leftwing Labour MP Andy McDonald has just agreed with Tory MP Simon Hoare “that MPs across this House would be minded to support legislation” to strip Mandelson of his peerage.
It comes amid growing anger in the Commons about the revelations regarding the peer who resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday night.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones has stuck to the line that he wants legislation to make it easier to sack all peers who bring the Lords into disrepute rather than a specific Bill about Mandelson.
He noted “there is a queue” pointing out that Tory figures like Baroness Mone, who has been facing questions over her business dealings during the pandemic, to be removed.
Government to modernise disciplinary procedure for peers to remove Mandelson
Monday 2 February 2026 17:23 , Bryony GoochThe Government will seek to modernise the disciplinary procedures for peers so they can be removed for bringing the House of Lords into disrepute, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones told MPs following fresh revelations about Lord Mandelson’s links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Darren Jones insists Gordon Brown’s concerns were taken seriously
Monday 2 February 2026 17:09 , Bryony GoochPolitical editor David Maddox reports:
The government is trying to deal with the further embarrassment caused by Gordon Brown revealing he asked for an investigation into Peter Mandelson’s leaks in September.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones corrected his Tory shadow Alex Burghart’s assertion that the request for an investigation made by Mr Brown was ignored.
But he has confirmed that nothing was found even though we now know that Lord Mandelson did indeed leak sensitive and confidential material to Jeffrey Epstein on market sensitive information regarding the banking crisis bailout and trying to persuade Mr Brown to resign as PM.
A further briefing has also insisted that Mr Brown’s concerns were taken seriously.A source confirmed that the Cabinet Secretary responded to Mr Brown’s letter on the 19 November noting that searches of official records did not find any files linking Mr Epstein to the sale of Royal Bank of Scotland assets to JP Morgan.
They added that following the disclosure of further information, the PM this morning asked the Cabinet Secretary to review all available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a government minister, and to report back to him as a matter of urgency.
Recap: Police must investigate Peter Mandelson after Epstein file revelations – SNP
Monday 2 February 2026 17:03 , Bryony GoochThe Metropolitan Police must investigate whether there is evidence of criminality in the actions of Lord Peter Mandelson, the SNP’s Westminster leader has said.
Stephen Flynn has written to to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley calling for an investigation into potential misconduct in public office.
He said there are “serious allegations” in the Epstein files about sensitive state information being passed between Lord Mandelson and the convicted paedophile.
Mr Flynn said the files “also suggest that Mandelson and his family may also have been in receipt of significant amounts of money from Epstein”.
Mandelson emailed Epstein about persuading Brown to resign as prime minister
Monday 2 February 2026 16:43 , Bryony GoochLord Mandelson emailed Jeffrey Epstein in reference to persuading Gordon Brown to resign as prime minister in 2010.
“Finally got him to go today,” he wrote to the convicted paedophile.
Brown resigned the following day.
He also appeared to refer to secret tunnels connecting No 10 and the Ministry of Defence.
Starmer ducks answering on Mandelson himself
Monday 2 February 2026 16:22 , Bryony GoochPolitical editor David Maddox reports:
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has just challenged the prime minister in the Commons to give a public apology for appointing Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US.
He also called on Keir Starmer to support a police investigation into the peer.
But Sir Keir has used parliamentary protocol to avoid the subject.His statement was on the visit to China so he focussed his answer on the SNP not welcoming a reduction in tariffs on Scotch whisky.
Instead MPs will have to wait for Darren Jones, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, to provide answers on Mandelson.
The PM clearly does not want to address this embarrassing subject personally.
Mandelson discusses 'tastey models and dancing' with Epstein
Monday 2 February 2026 16:21 , Bryony GoochEmails between Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein from May 2013 show them discussing “tastey models and dancing” at an upcoming “rave” in St Petersburg.
Starmer changed stance after 'more came to light' on Mandelson, says minister
Monday 2 February 2026 15:52 , Holly EvansEducation secretary Bridget Phillipson has insisted that the prime minister’s change of heart over Lord Mandelson came because of new information.
Responding on Radio 5 Live to questions over why Sir Keir Starmer was taking a tougher line, Ms Phillipson insisted that new information was now available.
She said: “More did come to light, you know, with the kind of release of further papers and correspondence. More has come to life subsequently and more has come to light that is of an even more serious nature than anyone would have anticipated.
“That's also true around what we've seen from some of the emails connected to his role as a minister and that's why I think the Prime Minister is absolutely right to ask the Cabinet Secretary to look into this, to understand what was going on in terms of those exchanges during the time that Peter Mandelson was a Labour Minister.”
Mandelson appears to organise No10 trip for Epstein's goddaughter
Monday 2 February 2026 15:46 , Holly EvansThe latest tranche of emails also appear to show that Lord Mandelson agreed to organise a tour of No10 Downing Street for Epstein’s 15-year-old goddaughter.
The disgraced financier wrote: “The most important person to me (next to you of course) is my goddaughter that will be in london on wed and thurs of next week, what can we do to make it a very special trip, i would really appreciate it.”
After Mandelson asked how old, Epstein said that she was 15 and would be visiting with her parents. He continued: “house of lords, number 10...just for ten minutes, it would mean a lot to me”.
“Fine on all,” Mandelson replies.
The emails were sent on July 3, 2009, when Gordon Brown was prime minister and at a time when Epstein was in prison in Florida serving a 13-month sentence for the solicitation of a minor.
Downing Street is not open to the public and tourists cannot book a tour inside.