Labour MPs call for Mandelson to be sacked over Epstein relationship

Labour MPs have called on the Prime Minister to sack Lord Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Backbenchers Richard Burgon and Nadia Whittome broke ranks on Wednesday to urge Sir Keir Starmer to sack Lord Mandelson “immediately”.

They joined Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who described the ambassador’s position as “untenable” and said he should be “fired now”.

Calls for Lord Mandelson’s dismissal follow reports in The Sun newspaper that he had guided Epstein through the criminal process while he was facing child sex charges in 2008, writing: “Your friends stay with you and love you.”

Lord Mandelson is also reported to have told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

The Times newspaper reported that a 2002 memo has also emerged in which the now ambassador is said to have encouraged the then-prime minister Tony Blair to meet Epstein.

The newspaper said the memo was due to be made public as part of a National Archives release but was blocked as officials concluded the document may embarrass the UK and harm relations with the US.

Following the reports, both Mr Burgon and Ms Whittome said Lord Mandelson should never have been appointed and called for him to be sacked.

Ms Whittome added: “We either stand with victims or we don’t.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Sir Keir had defended the appointment of Lord Mandelson, who was already facing criticism after it emerged he had written a birthday note to Epstein in 2003 in which he described the financier as his “best pal”.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir said he still had “confidence” in Lord Mandelson and “due process was followed” during his appointment.

Downing Street repeatedly evaded questions on how much the Prime Minister knew about the former Labour minister’s association with Epstein at the time of his appointment.

Sir Keir’s official spokesman continued to point reporters to the “extensive vetting” of Lord Mandelson, as well as his previous comments on his association with the paedophile financier.

Speaking to The Sun’s Harry Cole Saves The West programme, Lord Mandelson said he regrets “very, very deeply indeed carrying on” the association with Epstein “for far longer than I should have done”.

When asked whether he had continued a business or personal relationship with Epstein after he was charged with criminal offences, Lord Mandelson did not deny he maintained a form of relationship with him – responding: “It was not a business relationship.”

He said he “never saw the wrongdoing” or “evidence of criminal activity”, adding he does not believe he is “named in the Epstein files”.

Lord Mandelson described the words he used in his birthday message as “very embarrassing to see and read”.