Minister warns Lord Mandelson must ‘account’ for Epstein links amid claims he was given $75,000 by paedophile financier while an MP

Lord Mandelson faces fresh pressure today over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, amid allegations the pedophile financier gave him $75,000 while he was an MP.

A Cabinet minister has warned that the architect of New Labor must explain his actions after the latest major US dossier on Epstein raised more questions.

The reports reportedly include images of Lord Mandelson’s bank statements suggesting he received two payments of $25,000 in June 2004 and was listed as the beneficiary of another $25,000 sent to his partner.

He was an MP at the time, but no gift appears to have been announced.

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips, a long-time friend of Lord Mandelson, said this morning that he was ‘at best, naive and stupid, at worst, greedy and hypocritical’ and that his political career was over.

However, the man told the Daily Mail he had no record or recollection of receiving such a payment and questioned whether the documents were genuine.

‘I have no record of receiving these amounts, I do not remember and I do not know whether the documents are genuine,’ he said.

‘I can clearly say that I regret knowing Epstein. It was a mistake to believe Epstein, swallow his lies after his conviction, and then continue my relationship with him. ‘I deeply regret doing this and publicly apologize to the women and girls who suffered.’

A photo released as part of the Epstein files shows Lord Mandelson talking to a woman wearing a white bathrobe.

In broadcast interviews this morning, Communities Minister Steve Reed was asked whether Lord Mandelson should be expelled from the Upper House.

One source insisted the financial statements could not be valued at face value without supporting evidence, citing formatting errors.

They highlighted the suggestion that Lord Mandelson had a US social security number, said he did not have one, and argued that it was not possible to pay dollar checks directly into UK bank accounts. They asked JP Morgan to verify whether the documents were genuine.

The source also highlighted the US Department of Justice’s warning that the publication ‘may contain fake or misrepresented images, documents or videos’ and that ‘some documents may contain untrue and sensational claims’.

Lord Mandelson apologized repeatedly for his friendship with the pedophile and left the House of Lords on leave. He was dismissed from his post as the British ambassador to Washington due to the controversy last year.

But critics say he should be stripped of his rank and expelled from the Labor Party.

New emails released on Friday as part of three million documents related to 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 Sept. 7, 2009 — two months after the pedophile was released from prison after serving 12 months of an 18-month sentence for child sex crimes — and asked for money.

There was also a reference in an email inviting a woman called ‘Svetlana’ to a meeting with Lord Mandelson, although he said he had never heard of her.

In broadcast interviews this morning, Communities Minister Steve Reed was asked whether Lord Mandelson should be expelled from the Upper House.

He told Sky News: ‘I think we need to understand exactly what happened before we take such action. Here you are asking me about something that happened about 20 years ago. I don’t know the exact details, I wasn’t in government 20 years ago.

‘I don’t know whether he declared it, and he should have – the declaration rules had been introduced by then – so it will be for Peter Mandelson to explain whether the money was declared properly, and if it wasn’t then he will have to account for that.

‘But I don’t want to rush and make assumptions. I think we need to find out exactly what happened first.’

Asked whether Lord Mandelson had told the full truth about his links to Epstein, Mr Reed told the BBC: ‘The reason he was dismissed as US ambassador was because there were things he didn’t disclose.

‘I no longer know how far this lack of explanation goes. ‘I think he should answer questions about his own life, not about me.’

Lord Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein began around 2002 and continued until 2011.

During this time he served as a cabinet minister in both the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown governments.

The former ambassador was sacked last September after Epstein’s 2003 ‘birthday book’ included a message from Mandelson calling the pervert his ‘best friend’.

Lord Mandelson told Epstein: ‘I think of you a lot’ and advised him to ‘fight for early release’ from prison.

Flight records show Lord Mandelson flew on Epstein’s private jet, dubbed the ‘Lolita Express’, and stayed at his homes in Palm Beach, New York, and on his private island in the Caribbean.

Previously published photos showed Lord Mandelson in a bathrobe and another in a swimsuit.

He issued a statement on Friday saying: ‘I made a mistake in believing after Epstein’s conviction and continuing my relationship with him afterwards.

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips, a long-time friend of Lord Mandelson, said this morning that he was ‘at best, naive and stupid, at worst, greedy and hypocritical’ and that his political career was over.

Lord Mandelson (pictured with Keir Starmer) was sacked as US ambassador last September following further revelations about his ties to Epstein.

‘I publicly apologize for doing this to the women and girls who suffered. I was never guilty or complicit in his crimes. Like everyone else, I learned the real truth about him after his death.’

Keir Starmer has suggested that Andrew Windsor-Mountbatten should testify in the US regarding the Epstein scandal.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told Sky News this should also apply to Lord Mandelson.

‘I absolutely agree that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should give all the assistance he can to any official body investigating this matter, be it the police, the FBI or indeed the US Congress,’ Mr Philp said.

‘The same goes for Peter Mandelson, who of course seems to be involved.’