Lord Mandelson is facing fresh pressure over his links to Jeffrey Epstein today amid claims the paedophile financier gave him $75,000 while he was an MP.
A Cabinet minister has warned the New Labour architect must explain his actions after the latest massive US drop of files relating to Epstein raised more questions.
They reportedly include images of bank statements suggesting that Lord Mandelson received two payments of $25,000 in June 2004, and was listed as a beneficiary for another $25,000 sent to his partner.
He was an MP at the time but no gifts appear to have been declared.
Lord Mandelson’s long-time friend, Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips, said this morning that he had been ‘at best, naïve and foolish, at worst greedy and duplicitous’ and his political career was over.
But the peer told the Daily Mail he had no record or recollection of receiving any such payments, and questioned whether the documents were real.
‘I have no record and no recollection of receiving these sums and do not know if the documents are authentic,’ he said.
‘I can say clearly, though, I regret ever having known Epstein. I was wrong to believe Epstein and swallow his lies following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I deeply regret doing so and apologise unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered.’
Lord Mandelson is facing fresh pressure over his links to Jeffrey Epsteintoday amid claims the paedophile financier gave him $75,000 while he was an MP
A photograph released as part of the Epstein files apparently shows Lord Mandelson talking to a woman who is wearing a white bath robe
In broadcast interviews this morning, Communities Secretary Steve Reed was asked if Lord Mandelson should be kicked out of the Upper House
A source insisted the financial statements could not be taken at face value without supporting evidence, pointing to formatting errors.
They highlighted the suggestion Lord Mandelson had a US social security number, saying he did not, and argued it was not possible to pay dollar cheques directly into UK bank accounts. They urged JP Morgan to confirm whether the documents were real.
The source also stressed the US Department of Justice caveat that the release ‘may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos’ and that ‘some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims’.
Lord Mandelson has repeatedly apologised for his friendship with the paedophile and has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords. He was forced out as the UK’s ambassador to Washington over the row last year.
But critics have said he should be stripped of his peerage and expelled from the Labour Party.
New emails released on Friday as part of three million documents related to the child sex offender show Epstein sent £10,000 to Mandelson’s Brazilian husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva to pay for an osteopathy course.
Da Silva emailed Epstein on September 7, 2009 – two months after the paedophile was released from prison after serving 12 months of an 18-month sentence on child sex offences – and asked for money.
There was also a reference in one email inviting a woman called ‘Svetlana’ to a meeting with Lord Mandelson, although he says he has never heard of her.
In broadcast interviews this morning, Communities Secretary Steve Reed was asked if Lord Mandelson should be kicked out of the Upper House.
He told Sky News: ‘I think before taking any action like that, we need to understand exactly what’s happened. You’re asking me here about something that happened nearly 20 years ago. I don’t know the full detail of it, I wasn’t in government 20 years ago.
‘I don’t know whether he declared it or not, and he should have done – the declaration rules had been brought in by then – so I think it would be for Peter Mandelson to explain whether or not that money was properly declared, and if not, then he will need to account for that.
‘But I don’t want to jump the gun and make assumptions. I think we need to find out exactly what happened first.’
Asked if Lord Mandelson had told the whole truth about his links to Epstein, Mr Reed told the BBC: ‘Well, the reason he was removed as ambassador to the US is because there were things he had not disclosed.
‘Now I don’t know how far that lack of disclosure goes. I think he should answer questions about his own life, not me.’
Lord Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein started around 2002 and continued until 2011.
During that time he served as cabinet minister in both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments.
The former ambassador was sacked last September after a 2003 ‘birthday book’ for Epstein contained a message from Mandelson calling the pervert ‘my best pal.’
Lord Mandelson told Epstein ‘I think the world of you’ and advised him to ‘fight for early release’ from his jail term.
Flight records show Lord Mandelson flew on Epstein’s private jet, dubbed the ‘Lolita Express’, and stayed at his homes in New York, Palm Beach and on his private Caribbean island.
Previously published pictures showed Lord Mandelson in a bathrobe and another wearing swimming trunks.
On Friday he released a statement saying: ‘I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards.
Lord Mandelson (pictured with Keir Starmer) was ousted as US ambassador last September after other revelations about his ties to Epstein
‘I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered. I was never culpable or complicit in his crimes. Like everyone else I learned the actual truth about him after his death.’
Keir Starmer has suggested Andrew Windsor-Mountbatten should give evidence in the US about the Epstein scandal.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp told Sky News that should also apply to Lord Mandelson.
‘I certainly agree that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should give all the assistance he possibly can to any official body investigating this, whether it’s the police, the FBI or indeed the US Congress,’ Mr Philp said.
‘The same of course, would apply to Peter Mandelson, who appears to be embroiled in this as well.’
