Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning Peter Mandelson and Epstein’s island. The spider in the elites’ global web
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Feb 5, 2026 A deep dive into Peter Mandelson’s reach through media, politics and finance. Stories range from local Hartlepool intrigue to alleged ties with elite networks linked to Epstein. The conversation traces emails, payments and photographs that connect political figures to wealthy donors. It also explores how neoliberalism, crony networks and transatlantic influence reshape power and public life.
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Hartlepool Mascot Becomes Political Flashpoint
- Joe Brolly recounts the Hartlepool mascot Hangar the Monkey being elected mayor as an early sign of Peter Mandelson's local meddling.
- Dion Fanning describes Mandelson complaining to newspaper owners and staff protesting a subsequent witch hunt.
Mandelson As Emblem Of New Labour
- Joe Brolly argues Peter Mandelson embodied New Labour's turn toward neoliberalism and elite capture.
- Dion Fanning links Mandelson to a pattern of media manipulation and hollowed democratic ideals.
Mandelson's Epstein Introduction By Rothschild
- Joe Brolly describes Mandelson's introduction to Jeffrey Epstein via Sir Evelyn de Rothschild in 2001.
- Dion Fanning connects that introduction to a wider elite network involving Maxwell and the Rothschilds.
