Starmer hands police details on Mandelson alleged leaks to Epstein
Keir Starmer has shared government assessments on Lord Peter Mandelson’s alleged leaking of sensitive information to Jefrrey Epstein with the police after it was confirmed that several parties, including Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, had referred the matter to the authorities.
The Cabinet Office shared details on emails from the former business secretary to the paedophile at the height of the financial crisis.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said information relating to the 2008 crash may have been passed on to Epstein, with government operations potentially having been “compromised” by such leaks.
Starmer told government ministers that he was “appalled” by the new information, added that it would be “gobsmacking” for voters to see a public official failing to recall receiving such large sums of cash from the financier.
He also said he feared further information could emerge on Mandelson’s close relationship with Epstein. The Lords has also been urged to change its rules to allow it to remove disgraced peers though Starmer has faced calls to bring new legislation to target Mandelson’s position in the upper chamber.
Reform UK and the Scottish National Party both referred the matter to the Metropolitan Police on Monday night, asking for an investigation into the scandal-hit Labour peer who allegedly shared sensitive information with the late sex offender when serving in Gordon Brown’s government.
A Whitehall-led investigation into the relationship between Epstein and Mandelson when he was business secretary is also being carried out, with a new tranche of emails suggesting Mandelson forwarded government information to the paedophile when he was business secretary.
The email Mandelson forwarded related to an internal note from a Gordon Brown adviser on an “asset sales plan” to help support public finances in June 2009 and contained sensitive information about possible UK tax policy.
Mandelson told the American financier that the note was “interesting” and later suggested to Epstein that land and property would likely make up the asset sales by the government.
Mandelson also appeared to give Epstein advance notice of a €500bn bailout to save the euro in 2010.
In messages exchanged during the height of the eurozone crisis, Mandelson seemingly confirmed an announcement on a bailout package was imminent after being asked about it by Epstein.
Epstein wrote that his sources “tell me 500 b euro bailout” to which Mandelson appears to respond “Sd [sic] be announced tonight.” He then said he was “going to bed after a day of drama,” to which Epstein said: “sleep well.”
Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “The Epstein files suggest Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to a convicted sex offender while serving as a minister, and even suggested a US bank should threaten the Government to lower its tax bill.
“These allegations are incredibly serious, it is now only right that the police investigate Peter Mandelson for potential misconduct in public office.”
‘Power Peter’
A Whitehall-led investigation into the relationship between Epstein and Mandelson when he was business secretary will also be carried out, with a new tranche of emails suggesting Mandelson forwarded government information to the paedophile when he was business secretary.
The email Mandelson forwarded was related to an internal note from a Gordon Brown adviser on an “asset sales plan” to help support public finances in June 2009.
The former business secretary told the American financier that the note was “interesting” and later suggested to Epstein that land property would likely make up the asset sales by the government.
An email from a sender identified as ‘Power Peter’ shared a BBC article explaining that Mandelson had “taken over the day-to-day running” of the UK while Gordon Brown was on holiday.
The recipient, whose identity was redacted, replied that it was “mad” before the chain was sent on by Epstein to Emirati businessman Sultan Bin Sulayem, the chief executive of DP World.
Plotting against Gordon Brown
A message sent to Jeffrey Epstein also took aim at Gordon Brown: “Think has to be bye GB.”
Epstein warned Mandelson that supporting the former prime minister would be “bad form commercially”.
“He has lost the confidence of the public, [JP Morgan] is very concerned that the pound could be the next currency to falter. and big time. uncertainty is not in your favor. [sic]”
In a statement today, Brown said: “On September 10 last year, I wrote to the cabinet secretary to ask him to investigate the veracity of information contained in the Epstein papers about the sale of assets arising from the banking collapse and communications about them between Lord Mandelson and Mr Epstein.
“That enquiry led to a response on November 19 that no departmental record could be found of any information or communication from Lord Mandelson to Mr Epstein on these issues.
“Given the shocking new information that has come to light in the latest tranche of Epstein papers, including information about the transfer to Mr Epstein of at least one highly sensitive government document as well as other highly confidential information, I have now written to ask for a wider and more intensive enquiry to take place into the wholly unacceptable disclosure of government papers and information during the period when the country was battling the global financial crisis.”
Labour is set to take disciplinary action against the former business secretary despite his resignation from the party, action which it says was set to be taken before Mandelson announced his resignation.
Starmer’s spokesman also suggested Mandelson should appear before a US committee investigating the Epstein files to present evidence, with a similar message being sent to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, over the weekend.
Mandelson ‘may have broken law’
Documents released also showed that Mandelson received up to $75,000, or around £55,000, between 2003 and 2004 in financial support from Epstein.
Another confidential email with government plans – that copied in Mandelson – was leaked although the email sender was redacted in files released.
Law and tax expert Dan Neidle, who uncovered the emails in the files, suggested his leaks could be a criminal offence.
“It all looks like a very corrupt arrangement. The question is, is this just scandalous or does it go beyond that? Is this actually misconduct in public office which is a criminal offence?” Neidle told Times Radio.
Mandelson quit Labour to avoid causing “further embarrassment” to the party but said he had “no record or recollection” of payments.
Mandelson, who referred to the disgraced financier as his “chief life adviser”, has previously spoken of his regret for “ever having known Epstein” and for maintaining his close relationship after Epstein’s conviction, apologising “unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered”.
The latest emails add to questions on Starmer’s decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to the US and the relevant security checks that were carried out.
Starmer sacked Mandelson late last year after emails showing the closeness of his relationship with Epstein were published.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said on Monday: “I think there is a lot that needs to be looked into, including investigating how he ever came to be appointed, and all levers which can be pulled in order to remove him from public office looked into, including removal from the House of Lords.”