The British government has published 147 pages of documents proving that Prime Minister Keir Starmer received warnings about reputational risk before appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the USA. The documents reveal the behind-the-scenes ignoring of the diplomat's connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

Intelligence Warnings Ignored

National security advisor Jonathan Powell raised concerns about Mandelson's relations with Epstein, which were downplayed by the chief of staff.

Breach of Vetting Procedures

Peter Mandelson was granted access to top-secret briefings before the process of vetting his background by the services was formally completed.

Wave of Resignations in London

The controversy led to the resignation of Morgan McSweeney and Mandelson's departure from the Labour Party and the House of Lords in February 2026.

Severance Payment Dispute

After being recalled, Mandelson demanded a £500,000 severance payment, eventually negotiating a sum of £75,000.

The British government has published the first tranche of 147 pages of documents concerning the nomination of Peter Mandelson for the position of ambassador to the USA, confirming that Prime Minister Keir Starmer received warnings about reputational risk before entrusting him with this function. The revealed files show that national security advisor Jonathan Powell raised concerns about the candidate's links to Jeffrey Epstein to the then Downing Street chief of staff. Morgan McSweeney, who held that role at the time, ignored these reservations, claiming the issues had already been resolved. Peter Mandelson was ultimately recalled from the Washington post in the autumn of 2025 when new details of his relationship with the American sex offender came to light.

The disclosed materials point to numerous irregularities in the process of vetting the diplomat's background by the services. Peter Mandelson was offered participation in a top-secret briefing before the vetting procedure was formally completed. The controversy surrounding this nomination led to the resignation of Morgan McSweeney from the position of the Prime Minister's chief of staff in February 2026. In the same month, Peter Mandelson resigned from membership in the Labour Party and from sitting in the House of Lords, a direct result of the publication of files concerning Jeffrey Epstein in the United States.

After being forced to leave the ambassador post, Peter Mandelson demanded a severance payment of over £500,000, but after negotiations agreed to a payment of £75,000. This case sparked a debate in London about the transparency of political appointments and the influence of lobbyists on state administration. Peter Mandelson is one of the most influential figures in the history of the modern Labour Party, a co-creator of Tony Blair's electoral successes. His political career was marked by two high-profile resignations from the government in 1998 and 2001, earning him the nickname "Prince of Darkness" in the British press. Mandelson's relations with Jeffrey Epstein, a financier convicted of pedophilia, became a subject of public interest after Epstein's suicide in a New York jail in 2019.

Currently, British ministries are preparing to review rules concerning lobbying and access to the government, intended as a response to the crisis triggered by the publication of the documents. 147 (stron) — size of the first tranche of disclosed documents 75 000 (funtów) — final severance amount for the recalled ambassador Chronology of the Peter Mandelson Scandal: autumn 2025 — Recall from Post; February 2026 — Wave of Resignations; 11 March 2026 — Files Published

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