- Sir Keir Starmer was warned in December 2024 about a "general reputational risk" regarding Lord Peter Mandelson's relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him as ambassador to the US.
- Lord Mandelson was sacked nine months later in September 2025, after further details of his Epstein links emerged, and received a £75,000 taxpayer-funded payout.
- A Cabinet Office "due diligence" document highlighted Mandelson's continued association with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, including staying at Epstein's house in 2009 and his 2014 involvement with an ocean conservation group founded by Ghislaine Maxwell and funded by Epstein.
- Senior officials, including national security adviser Jonathan Powell and then-Foreign Office permanent under-secretary Sir Philip Barton, expressed reservations about the appointment, with Powell noting the process was "weirdly rushed."
- The Prime Minister insists Lord Mandelson "lied repeatedly" about his Epstein relationship, with the political appointment made to foster ties with US President Donald Trump, despite warnings about potential personal exposure if the decision backfired.
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