LONDON – The British government on Wednesday published an initial batch of documents related to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States, following a parliamentary push for greater disclosure over his vetting and official role.
The roughly 147-page released material marks the first installment in a wider handover of papers linked to Mandelson’s time in the post. British media reported that some records could remain withheld for now, given the ongoing police investigation and possible future legal proceedings.
Mandelson’s appointment had already drawn wild controversy in Britain, with opposition lawmakers pressing the government to explain what was known about his past links to , the dead American financier and convicted sex offender, when he was chosen for the Washington role.
The issue added to political pressure on UK Prime Minister , who has said Mandelson did not fully disclose the nature of the relationship during the vetting process.
The newly released documents showed that officials had warned Starmer in advance that Mandelson’s past association with Epstein could pose a “reputational risk.” In a note described as advice to the prime minister and based on checks conducted on Dec 4, 2024, officials said Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein had continued for a period after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for procuring an underage girl.
According to the document, the relationship extended across 2009 to 2011, beginning when Mandelson was serving as business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government.
The note also referred to reports that Mandelson stayed at Epstein’s house in June 2009 while Epstein was in jail.
A separate briefing note indicated that the issue had been discussed inside government before the appointment. It said Starmer’s then chief of staff had raised Mandelson’s links to Epstein, while communications director Matthew Doyle was said to be satisfied with Mandelson’s answers to questions about the contact. However, further correspondence and follow-up questions to Mandelson were not included in this first disclosure.
The files also suggested unease among senior officials over the way the appointment was handled. Government officials had warned that Starmer could be left more politically exposed if a personally connected political appointee encountered problems in office.
In a summary of a fact-finding call held in September, National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell described the appointment process as “unusual” and “weirdly rushed,” while also raising concerns about Mandelson’s reputation. The documents added that Philip Barton, then the Foreign Office’s top civil servant, had also expressed reservations.
The released papers further detailed discussions over Mandelson’s severance after he was removed from the Washington post.
According to the documents, Mandelson initially sought payment covering the remainder of the four-year fixed-term appointment, amounting to 547,201 pounds (about $734,000). The government ultimately approved 34,670 pounds in discretionary payments in addition to 40,330 pounds to which he was legally entitled.
British media said the disclosures answered some questions about internal warnings and the financial settlement, but did not resolve the dispute over whether Mandelson had misled officials during vetting.
The BBC reported that Mandelson disputes the characterization that he requested or demanded more than 500,000 pounds in severance pay, and maintains that he answered questions about his relationship with Epstein accurately. According to the broadcaster, Mandelson has repeatedly denied criminal wrongdoing, denied acting for personal gain, and said he is cooperating with police inquiries.
Mandelson was arrested by London’s on suspicion of misconduct in public office on Feb 23 and released under investigation last Friday.
In late January, the made public a large cache of files related to Epstein, prompting renewed scrutiny in Britain. British police confirmed later that they had opened a criminal investigation into Mandelson over alleged misconduct while in public office, including possible disclosure of market-sensitive information.
Mandelson previously served as a senior cabinet minister under former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He was appointed ambassador to Washington in early 2025 but was dismissed by Starmer after seven months due to questions over his past.