The Labour Party has been urged to rule out allowing Peter Mandelson to hold the party whip if he returned to the House of Lords, after fresh allegations over his links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein emerged this weekend.
Mr Mandelson has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords since he took up his role as US ambassador, meaning he does not currently have the Labour whip. But the party has refused to say whether or not it would be restored if he applied to return to the Lords.
If the party whip is withdrawn on return, he would effectively be expelled from the party and would need to sit as an independent.
It comes after a tranche of newly released documents, part of the so-called Epstein files, suggested the convicted sex offender sent £10,000 to Lord Mandelson’s husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva.
According to the exchange of emails, published by the US Department of Justice (DoJ), Mr da Silva had asked Epstein for money to fund an osteopathy course and other related expenses in September 2009.
Being named or pictured in the Epstein files does not suggest any criminality or wrongdoing.
On Friday, Lord Mandelson, who married Mr da Silva in 2023 after a relationship going back three decades, issued a statement apologising to the victims of Epstein. He insisted he was ignorant of Epstein’s crimes and “learned the actual truth about him after his death”.
Last year he was sacked from his role as UK ambassador to the US in September following mounting pressure over his ties to Epstein, who served an 18-month prison sentence from 2008 until July 2009 after pleading guilty to charges of soliciting prostitution.
Labour MP Andy McDonald said the party must now “put it beyond doubt” that Mr Mandelson would not enjoy the Labour whip if he returns to the Lords.
“It’s the right thing to do. He’s an admitted associate of the most prevalent sex trafficker in history…. There is too much of an attitude in the Labour Party of protecting Peter Mandelson”, he told The Independent.
Mr McDonald added: “The party have been very quick to expel members and councillors for having the temerity to like a tweet that they’ve found politically unacceptable – and yet Peter Mandelson continues to be indulged. The time has come for that to stop.”
Meanwhile, Labour MP for York Central Rachael Maskell questioned “if this is what the Labour Party stands for”.
She said: “It is quite extraordinary that there are new revelations still coming to light about the judgements that the rich and powerful have made. I simply question if this is what the Labour Party stands for?
“I have always believed our Party has the sole purpose of standing up for the interests of the working class who had no political franchise against the interests of the rich and powerful. Surely this should be the requirement to hold the privilege of the Labour whip.”
The latest publications from the US DoJ showed on September 7 2009, Mr da Silva sent Epstein a message saying: “I sent you a couple of emails last week regarding my osteo course expenses, incl fee, anatomical models, lap top if you can help me with this. I hope you received them.
“I just managed to speak to the fees office at the osteo school and confirmed that my annual fee is of £3,225.”
He then explained the school accepts bank transfer and provides the account details before thanking Epstein for “anything you can help me with”.
The financier replied later the same day: “I will wire your loan amount immediated’y (sic).”
Mr da Silva followed up with a further email which makes reference to a £10,000 transfer. He said: “Just sent an email back to Rich regarding the £10,000 with my personal bank details.
“I would like to clarify if this amount includes my school fees or if the amount of £3,225 (school fee) will be sent directly to the school itself.”
Epstein told him: “includedd (sic)” before Mr da Silva sent him another email days later thanking him for the cash.
“Just a brief note to thank you for the money which arrived in my account this morning,” he wrote.
The newly-surfaced exchanges follow Lord Mandelson’s apology earlier this month to the victims of Epstein for remaining friends with the paedophile financier after his conviction.
Lord Mandelson had told the BBC that he was “on the fringes” of Epstein’s life. Emails released in the previous tranche of Epstein files last September showed Lord Mandelson told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
On Friday, in a statement to The Independent, he said: “I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. 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.
“But his victims did know what he was doing, their voices were not heard and I am sorry I was amongst those who believed him over them.”
The Labour Party has been contacted for comment.
