Lord Mandelson Resigns from Starmer’s Labour Party Over Epstein Connections — “I Do Not Wish to Cause Further Embarrassment… I Feel Regretful and Sorry About This”

Kurt Steffens

February 1, 2026

Lord Mandelson Resigns from Starmer’s Labour Party Over Epstein Connections — “I Do Not Wish to Cause Further Embarrassment… I Feel Regretful and Sorry About This”

Former British minister Peter Mandelson has resigned from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party following renewed media scrutiny of his past ties to disgraced U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to reports published Sunday.

Mandelson, a former cabinet minister and one-time British ambassador to the United States, said he was stepping down from party membership to avoid causing “further embarrassment” to Labour. His resignation comes after new allegations surfaced in British media based on files released by the U.S. Justice Department that linked him to Epstein, including claims of financial payments.

“While doing this I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party,” the letter said.

🚨BREAKING: UK Labour’s Lord Mandelson In The EPSTEIN FILES. pic.twitter.com/EjOBuM1oqX
— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) February 1, 2026

“I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this,” Mandelson wrote in a letter to the Labour Party, as reported by the BBC. He said he believed the allegations regarding payments were false and intended to investigate them, but added that he would leave the party while doing so.

Mandelson had already been dismissed last year as Britain’s ambassador to Washington after earlier disclosures about his relationship with Epstein. Those included documents released by U.S. lawmakers containing a letter in which Mandelson referred to Epstein as “my best pal,” prompting renewed political pressure on Starmer’s government.

A key architect of Labour’s electoral success during Tony Blair’s premiership in the late 1990s, Mandelson was one of the party’s most influential strategists and later served as European Union trade commissioner. His political career, however, has been marked by controversy. In 1998, he resigned as trade minister over a loan from a fellow cabinet member used to purchase a home, amid questions about conflicts of interest. He later returned to government but stepped down again in 2001 over allegations related to a passport application for an Indian billionaire, though he was subsequently cleared of wrongdoing.

Mandelson is currently on leave of absence from the House of Lords, where he remains a member of Britain’s upper chamber.

The renewed focus on Epstein’s network has extended beyond Mandelson. Starmer said Saturday that Britain’s former Prince Andrew should testify before a U.S. congressional committee following new revelations about his own links to Epstein, highlighting the broader political fallout from the latest disclosures.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the former Prince Andrew should testify before a US congressional committee, following new revelations about Andrew's links to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein https://t.co/sFp262FZ7V pic.twitter.com/Ez6iC4ro7k
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 1, 2026

About Author

Zane Clark

Zane Clark is a writer whose interest in national affairs began at age 11, during a birthday ride in a 1966 Piper 180C that sparked an early curiosity about history and current events. That first moment of perspective grew into a lasting fascination with the people, conflicts, and decisions influencing the nation’s direction. Today, Zane brings clear, informed storytelling to Altitude Post, covering everything from major events to the individuals helping shape the country’s future. When he’s not writing, he’s researching history, following current developments, spotting aircraft, attending airshows or exploring the stories behind the headlines.