Peter Mandelson: Timeline of Lord Mandelson’s controversial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein
Lord Peter Mandelson has resigned as a member of the Labor Party to avoid causing “further embarrassment” after his links to Jeffrey Epstein were further revealed over the weekend.
Here’s what we know about the duo’s relationship.
2002
Lord Mandelson writes a note encouraging then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to meet with Epstein. The Times.
2003
Lord Mandelson’s message to Epstein, in which he described him as his “best friend”, appears in a “birthday book” compiled by convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
2006
While Florida police are recommending that Epstein be charged with four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, Lord Mandelson says: “I’m keeping a close eye on you and I’m here whenever you need me” after Epstein told him he was “trying to arrange another prosecutor’s meeting”. Bloomberg.
Epstein was later arrested and Bloomberg Lord Mandelson reportedly asked the pedophile for updates the same day, saying “keep me updated”.
2007
Epstein’s lawyers are talking with Miami attorney Alexander Acosta about a plea bargain that would allow him to evade investigation.
2008
Epstein pleaded guilty to solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of a minor and was sentenced to 18 months in a minimum security prison.
The U.S. attorney’s office agreed in a secret settlement not to prosecute Epstein for more serious federal crimes.
Lord Mandelson writes emails showing support for Epstein as he is accused of abusing a minor; one of them is “Your friends stay with you and love you”.
Emails reported by SunIt also shows the former Labor secretary telling Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before his prison sentence.
2009
Lord Mandelson is staying at Epstein’s Manhattan flat while the pedophile is serving an 18-month sentence, according to an internal report prepared by JP Morgan bank.
Epstein is released after 13 months in prison.
2010
During his time as business secretary, Lord Mandelson brokered a deal with Epstein for the sale of a UK taxpayer-owned banking business.
2019
Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges after lawyers in New York determined they were not bound by a secret non-prosecution agreement.
The pedophile financier was found dead in his cell at New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center a month later.
Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein came into focus after a photo of him with the pedophile financier in St Barts was published.
2025
Lord Mandelson says: Finance Times When asked by the reporter about his relationship with Epstein, he said “fuck you.”
The Oversight Committee of the House of Representatives in the US has released a number of documents from the Epstein estate, including the “birthday book” containing Lord Mandelson’s message.
Lord Mandelson described his birthday message to Epstein as “very embarrassing” during the interview. Sun‘s Harry Cole Saves the West program.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer asked Lord Mandelson to stand down.
2026
Lord Mandelson’s name is mentioned in more than three million documents released by the US Department of Justice regarding pedophile financier Epstein.
These included files alleging that Epstein paid Lord Mandelson $75,000 between 2003 and 2004, when he was a Labor MP.
In a 2009 email exchange, Lord Mandelson was revealed to have told Epstein he would lobby ministers over a tax on bankers’ bonuses.
Lord Mandelson said he had written a letter to Labor Party general secretary Hollie Ridley saying he was resigning as a member of the party.
“The allegations, which I believe are false, about him making financial payments to me 20 years ago, of which I have no record or recollection, need to be investigated by me. I do not want to further embarrass the Labor Party in doing this and therefore I am resigning from the party,” he said.
