Peter Mandelson is still human, Cherie Blair insists after US ambassador sacked over Epstein furore
Lady Blair has told Peter Mandelson’s critics that the disgraced Labor friend is “still human” and entitled to a fair trial over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Former prime minister Tony Blair’s wife also said she felt sorry for Lord Mandelson over the scandal, saying she found it “very sad” to see her life “torn apart” because of his connections to the pedophile financier.
Speaking on The Times Radio, Lady Blair was asked whether she and her husband had been betrayed by Lord Mandelson, a close family friend and one of the architects of New Labour.
“It makes me very sad that it has come to this. I think … when someone’s life is turned upside down, we need to remember that there is still a human being. And of course, we shouldn’t forget their right to a fair trial.”
He added: “Too many people in the media, especially on social media today, forget that the people they are talking about are human beings with feelings and they can get hurt.”
Lord Mandelson, who was sacked as US ambassador last year following these revelations, was instrumental in Mr Blair’s career. Documents reveal Mandelson arranged a meeting Between Sir Tony Blair and pedophile financier the first while he was still prime minister.
But Lady Blair said she did not think her husband had been drawn into the Epstein row.
“I really don’t think Tony was involved in this,” he said. “The Prime Minister meets with millions of people all the time, and I actually think it was Bill Clinton who asked him to meet Epstein.”
He added that his name was “mentioned” in the files because “I was at a women’s event and his girlfriend was there too.” He added: “That shows what he was doing, he was always ‘trying to show how influential I am because I know all these people.'”
Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government.
He was later released on bail, but was later released from his bail conditions although the investigation was ongoing.
Days earlier, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York and the King’s disgraced brother, was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the UK trade envoy.
On Friday, a photo emerged showing Lord Mandelson sitting around a table in bathrobes with Epstein and the former prince, drinking from mugs printed with the US flag. This photo, the first known photo showing the three together, was reportedly taken between 1999 and 2000, but an exact date was not given. No inaccuracy is implied in the photograph.
The photo emerged from some of the documents released by the US Department of Justice as part of the so-called Epstein files.
Both men appear several times in the files. Footage of Lord Mandelson giving a foot massage and others standing in their underwear was published by the US Department of Justice.
Both Andrew and Lord Mandelson have denied any wrongdoing regarding their dealings with Epstein.
