Lord Mandelson’s future as US Ambassador appears to be hanging by a thread after new emails emerged revealing his close close ties with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Sir Keir Starmer said he still had “confidence” in Lord Mandelson as the Prime Minister faced questions in the Commons over a 2003 birthday note in which the Labour grandee described Epstein as his “best pal”.
But he soon faced calls to dismiss the peer following reports he had supported Epstein when the banker was being investigated for sexual offences.
On Thursday morning, Home Office minister Mike Tapp admitted Lord Mandelson's messages to Epstein were "disturbing".
The ambassador reportedly told the child sex offender to "fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and said "I think the world of you" the day before he began his sentence in 2008.
Asked for his reaction, Mr Tapp told BBC Breakfast the emails made him "shudder".
He added: "I find it disturbing, those sorts of emails in honesty... we have to just look at what Peter Mandelson saying around his regret and what he knew at the time."
Reports in both The Sun and Bloomberg revealed emails in which Lord Mandelson told Epstein he was “following you closely and here whenever you need” and urged him to “remember the Art of War” when dealing with prosecutors.
They prompted calls for the ambassador to be sacked from both Conservative and Labour politicians.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch described the revelations as “sickening” and said Lord Mandelson’s position was “untenable”.
Asking why Sir Keir had continued to defend him in the Commons, Ms Badenoch said: “This is a weak Prime Minister, leading a Government mired in scandal. The public deserves better.
“Peter Mandelson needs to be fired now.”
She was joined by Labour backbenchers Richard Burgon and Nadia Whittome, who also called for Lord Mandelson to be sacked “immediately”.
Both said the peer should never have been appointed to the role, while Ms Whittome added: “We either stand with victims or we don’t.”
The Conservatives also sought to increase the pressure on the Prime Minister by tabling a series of parliamentary questions asking for information about what Lord Mandelson had said about his association with Epstein during the vetting process for his diplomatic role.
Meanwhile, shadow minister Alicia Kearns called on Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman and Labour deputy leadership hopeful Dame Emily Thornberry to summon Lord Mandelson to give evidence before her committee.
Lord Mandelson himself offered an apology for his links to Epstein, telling The Sun’s Harry Cole Saves The West programme he regretted “very, very deeply indeed carrying on” his association with the financier “for far longer than I should have done”.
When asked whether he had continued a business or personal relationship with Epstein after he was charged with criminal offences, Lord Mandelson did not deny he maintained a form of relationship with him – responding: “It was not a business relationship.”
He said he “never saw the wrongdoing” or “evidence of criminal activity”, adding he does not believe he is “named in the Epstein files”.
Lord Mandelson described the words he used in his birthday message as “very embarrassing to see and read”.
US lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents more than 20 survivors of Epstein, said Lord Mandelson should voluntarily sit for questioning by investigators.
In an interview with Times Radio, Ms Allred said: “If he wants to get serious about this, if he wants to help the survivors, he should sit and allow himself to be questioned. If he has nothing to worry about, why not?
“What can he do to help the survivors? Is he willing to do it? If not, he should resign. It’s deeds, not words that are important.”
