The UK government has released 147 pages of documents related to the appointment and sacking of Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US.
According to the documents, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was advised of Lord Mandelson's relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein before his confirmation as ambassador.
The advisory note, sent to the prime minister on 11 December 2024, flagged reputational risks related to Lord Mandelson's friendship with Epstein and his previous sackings from government.
Background on Lord Mandelson's Appointment
Lord Mandelson was appointed as the UK's ambassador to the US despite being a politician and businessman, rather than a career diplomat.
At the time of his appointment, Sir Keir said Lord Mandelson would bring "unrivalled experience" to the role and was seen as a savvy political operator.
Investigation and Sacking
Lord Mandelson was sacked as ambassador last year after revelations emerged about his friendship with Epstein.
The peer is currently under criminal investigation over allegations of misconduct in public office and has stated that he believes he has not acted criminally.
Severance Payment
Documents suggest that Lord Mandelson requested a severance payment of more than £500,000 after being sacked, but the Treasury ultimately agreed to a payment of £75,000.
Reaction from Officials
Jonathan Powell, the prime minister's national security adviser, described the appointment of Lord Mandelson as "weirdly rushed" in a fact-finding call with the prime minister's lawyer, Mike Ostheimer.
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Prime Minister, stated that the government found Lord Mandelson's demand for a severance payment to be "inappropriate and unacceptable".
Future Releases
Officials are combing through thousands of documents, and this release is expected to be the first of many in the coming weeks and months.
The Metropolitan Police have asked the government not to publish certain documents in order not to prejudice its criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson.
