The Daily T Damning Mandelson files leave Starmer reeling
Mar 11, 2026
A deep dive into newly released files linking a senior politician to Jeffrey Epstein and the reputational risks flagged before his appointment. They unpack a £75,000 payout, rapid resignation dynamics, and warnings from officials about vetting shortcuts. Political fallout, internal inquiries, and the scramble in Downing Street feature prominently.
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Repeated Warnings About Reputational Risk
- The Mandelson appointment posed repeated, documented reputational risks before it happened.
- A due diligence checklist used the phrase reputational risk five times and warned a political appointee could expose the Prime Minister personally.
Documents Show Post-Conviction Contact With Epstein
- Officials documented long-standing links between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein, including post-conviction contact.
- Files state their relationship continued 2009–2011, Mandelson stayed at Epstein's house in 2009, and joined an Epstein-funded ocean group in 2014.
2002 Emails Show Mandelson Pitched Blair To Meet Epstein
- Email exchanges from 2002 show Peter Mandelson actively advocated a Tony Blair meeting with Jeffrey Epstein.
- Mandelson described Epstein as an "active scientific catalyst" and "safe," and civil service notes flagged him as "very rich" and close to Prince Andrew.