Former U.K. Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson said Sunday he had resigned his membership of the Labour Party to avoid causing “further embarrassment” over his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson’s decision to quit the party came after new documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday appeared to show that Epstein made payments amounting to $75,000 to accounts linked to the Labour peer between 2003 and 2004.
Mandelson, who was a Labour MP at that time, said he had no record or recollection of receiving the alleged payments from Epstein and did not know if the documents were authentic.
“I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this,” Mandelson said in a letter to Labour’s General Secretary Hollie Ridley, according to a statement released to the media Sunday.
“Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me,” Mandelson added. “While doing this I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party.”
Mandelson was sacked as Britain’s ambassador to Washington in September after emails emerged showing he sent supportive messages to Epstein while the financier was facing charges for soliciting a minor in 2008. Earlier this month, Mandelson said he was wrong to have continued his association with Epstein and apologized “unequivocally” to Epstein’s victims.
Mandelson repeated that apology in the statement on Sunday, adding: “I have dedicated my life to the values and success of the Labour Party and in taking my decision I believe I am acting in its best interests.”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints seriously and they are investigated in line with our rules and procedures.”
