Lord Peter Mandelson Resigns from Labour Party Over Links to Jeffrey Epstein Revealed in New Files

London, February 2, 2026 — Former British cabinet minister and ex-UK Ambassador to the United States, Lord Peter Mandelson, has resigned his membership of the Labour Party following fresh revelations about his past association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a letter sent on Sunday evening to Labour’s general secretary Hollie Ridley, Lord Mandelson stated that he did not wish to cause the party “further embarrassment” due to his renewed links to the ongoing controversy surrounding Epstein. He expressed regret and apologized for any distress caused.
The resignation follows the release of a large batch of documents by the US Department of Justice on Friday (January 31, 2026), which included bank statements appearing to show that Epstein made three separate payments of $25,000 each — totaling $75,000 (approximately £55,000) — to accounts linked to Lord Mandelson between 2003 and 2004.
Lord Mandelson has stated that he has no recollection of receiving these payments, has no record of them, and believes the documents may be inaccurate or require further investigation on his part. He has described himself as regretful about being associated with the Epstein scandal once again.
Lord Mandelson, a key architect of New Labour and a close ally of former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, was previously removed from his post as British Ambassador to the US in September 2025 due to earlier revelations about his friendship and communications with Epstein.
The latest files have intensified scrutiny, with some media reports also highlighting earlier emails showing interactions between Epstein, Mandelson, and his husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva regarding financial requests and policy discussions.
Labour sources and government ministers have welcomed the resignation, with one minister stating she was “glad” he is no longer a member. There are also calls in some quarters for Lord Mandelson to be summoned to provide evidence to any US congressional or investigative inquiry into Epstein’s network.
This development marks a significant blow to the Labour Party’s image amid ongoing public and media focus on Epstein-related disclosures.