Lord Mandelson has formally stepped down from the House of Lords as the government reels from his involvement in the Epstein scandal.
Announcing the disgraced peer’s retirement, Lord Speaker Lord Forsyth of Drumlean pointedly did not thank him for his service to the House, as would ordinarily be customary for a departing member.
Before moving swiftly on to next business, Lord Forsyth said: "I announced in the chamber yesterday that Lord Mandelson had given notice of his retirement.
"I am now formally notifying the House of his retirement with effect from today pursuant to section one of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014."
Health Secretary Wes Streeting earlier said the disgraced peer must suffer the consequences of “betraying Britain, two Prime Ministers, Epstein’s victims and the national interest”.
The Cabinet minister told of the feeling of “shock” at Westminster after the revelations about the disgraced peer’s links with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in bombshell documents released in America.
Highlighting the scale of the scandal, Mr Streeting suggested people involved in politics over several generations would have found their “jaws hitting the floor.’
Mr Streeting launched the withering criticism of the peer as Sir Keir Starmer was under growing pressure over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US.
The Met Police has launched a criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson, 72, and whether he committed, misconduct in public office offences by allegedly passing market sensitive financial information to Epstein when he was Business Secretary in Gordon Brown’s government in 2009.
Misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Mr Streeting stressed there was a feeling in Government and the Labour Party of “deep betrayal” by Lord Mandelson.
“He’s betrayed two Prime Ministers. He’s betrayed his country and our national interest,” the Health Secretary told Sky News.
“He’s betrayed Epstein’s victims. And of course, it’s right that people ask questions about the process his appointment, sacking, and the Prime Minister will be transparent about that.”
But he added: “We mustn’t let Peter Mandelson off the hook in all of this.
“He is the person who is responsible and who is at serious fault and must now suffer the consequences of his actions, both in office and since.”
Lord Mandelson has been approached for comment and while he has yet to speak publicly, the BBC said it understood he maintains he did not act criminally and that his actions were not for personal gain.
The BBC reported Lord Mandelson argues he had sought Epstein’s expertise in the national interest ahead of the financial crisis and that he would co-operate with the police investigation.
Speaking earlier on Times Radio, Mr Streeting explained how big the scandal was being seen at Westminster.
“I suspect that not just my colleagues in this government, but people down the generations, whether in Labour governments, Conservative governments, Coalition governments, have all experienced that same that same sensation of our jaws hitting the floor,” he said.
“We simply cannot understand how someone, especially such a senior and experienced politician, could have possibly been so stupid and so reckless in sharing that kind of sensitive information.”
But the growing focus in Parliament on Wednesday, with Prime Minister’s Questions, was on Sir Keir’s government with claims from some Labour Leftwingers that the scandal could bring it down.
Former Prime Minister Mr Brown also said he had provided the Met with “relevant” information relating to Lord Mandelson’s “inexcusable and unpatriotic act”.
Newly released emails from 2009 appear to show Lord Mandelson share sensitive information on at least four occasions, including an assessment by Mr Brown’s adviser of potential policy measures including an “asset sales plan”.
Mr Brown also appeared to suggest that Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald had not heeded his request last September to examine communication between Lord Mandelson and Epstein last September.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters Mr Brown’s letter to Sir Chris had asked specifically about the sale of Royal Bank of Scotland assets to JP Morgan, and that the Cabinet Secretary had responded in November to say no files were found linking Epstein to the sale.
Meanwhile, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has moved from Royal Lodge in Windsor to a property on the King’s Sandringham estate.
It comes as police said they were assessing allegations that a woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew. The former prince has always denied wrongdoing.
