Met says allegations will be reviewed to see if criminal threshold is met following release of US court files

SCOTLAND YARD is reviewing a series of complaints alleging possible misconduct in public office after fresh claims emerged linking former UK ambassador Peter Mandelson to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Metropolitan Police Service confirmed it has received “a number of reports” following the publication of millions of pages of material by the United States Department of Justice, and will now decide whether any alleged conduct reaches the level required for a criminal investigation.

Commander Ella Marriott said the force would assess each report individually, stressing that a review does not automatically lead to formal proceedings.

The documents, widely referred to as the “Epstein files”, appear to show Mandelson corresponding with Epstein while serving as business secretary during the government of Gordon Brown at the height of the global financial crisis.

According to reports, Epstein was allegedly given insight into internal policy discussions, including proposals around banker bonus taxes in 2009 and details of a eurozone bailout package shortly before it was announced publicly.

Payments questioned

Bank records cited in the US disclosure reportedly show payments totalling 75,000 US dollars made to Mandelson between 2003 and 2004. It is also claimed Epstein paid for an osteopathy course for Mandelson’s husband.

Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing and said he has “no record or recollection” of the alleged transfers.

On Sunday he resigned his membership of the Labour Party, saying he did not want his continued association to cause further difficulty for the party.

In interviews, he dismissed suggestions that Epstein influenced his decisions as a minister and said nothing in the released files pointed to criminality or misconduct on his part.

Pressure mounts

The political fallout has intensified, with Downing Street confirming Keir Starmer has asked Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald to carry out an urgent review into Mandelson’s historic contacts with Epstein while in office.

Brown has also called for an examination of whether any confidential or market-sensitive information was improperly shared during the financial crisis.

The case is the latest in a series of controversies linked to Epstein’s long-standing relationships with powerful figures on both sides of the Atlantic.

Police emphasised that no charges have been brought and that Mandelson is not currently under criminal investigation, but said the complaints process would be handled “thoroughly and impartially”.

Former cabinet minister says stepping down is ‘in best interests of the party’ as questions raised over historic payments

LORD MANDLESON has resigned his membership of the Labour Party, saying he does not want to cause “further embarrassment” following renewed controversy over his past links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The former cabinet minister and one-time UK ambassador to the United States confirmed his decision in a letter to Labour’s general secretary after fresh documents released by the US Department of Justice appeared to reference him in connection with Epstein’s finances.

The files suggest that three payments of $25,000 — totalling $75,000, about £55,000 at today’s exchange rates — were allegedly made to Peter Mandelson in 2003 and 2004.

Lord Mandelson said he had “no record or recollection” of the transactions and believes the allegations may be false, but intends to investigate the matter himself.

In his resignation letter, he wrote that he felt “regretful and sorry” to be linked again to what he described as the “understandable furore” surrounding Epstein.

He added that stepping down from party membership was the responsible course of action while he reviewed the claims.

“I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party,” he said. “I have dedicated my life to the values and success of the party and believe I am acting in its best interests.”

Ambassador role ended

Lord Mandelson had been appointed the UK’s ambassador to Washington by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in December 2024.

However, he was removed from the post last year after earlier revelations about his past friendship and contact with Epstein, including emails showing communication after the financier’s 2008 conviction.

The latest release of files has also included photographs said to show Lord Mandelson alongside an unidentified woman. He said he could not place the location or circumstances of the images.

There is no suggestion that appearing in the documents or photographs indicates criminal wrongdoing.

‘Deep regret’

Earlier this weekend, Lord Mandelson reiterated his regret for ever having known Epstein and apologised “unequivocally” to the women and girls who suffered abuse.

“I want to repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now,” he said.

Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, but investigations into his network of associates continue to generate political fallout on both sides of the Atlantic.

Labour has not yet issued a detailed statement beyond confirming it had received Lord Mandelson’s resignation.

Senedd committee says £58m spending cannot be properly scrutinised and calls for major overhaul

A SENEDD committee has raised serious concerns about the Welsh Government’s approach to international relations, warning that a lack of clear strategy and financial transparency is undermining Wales’s work on the global stage.

In a report published on Tuesday (Jan 28), the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee said confusion, fragmented planning and weak accountability have made it difficult to assess priorities, impact or value for money.

While the Committee acknowledged that Wales benefits from international goodwill, expertise and global connections, it said the absence of a coherent long-term strategy meant those strengths were not being used effectively.

The Committee has now set out a new framework, called Mission Cymru, which it says should guide future Welsh Governments and place international relations on a more stable and transparent footing.

Committee chair Delyth Jewell said the inquiry had uncovered widespread uncertainty about what the Welsh Government is trying to achieve internationally and how success is measured.

She said evidence presented to the Committee repeatedly highlighted confusion over government priorities and a lack of clarity around outcomes.

“As we enter a period of growing global instability, the need for clear and measurable principles for Wales’s international engagement has never been greater,” she said.

“Geography may place Wales at the edge of a continent, but our voice should never be marginal.”

£58m spend ‘cannot be scrutinised’

One of the most serious criticisms in the report relates to financial transparency.

The Committee said it has been unable to scrutinise more than £58 million allocated to international relations during the current Senedd term, despite repeated attempts over several years to obtain detailed information.

It said gaps in reporting, late updates and incomplete data have made it impossible to assess whether the funding has delivered tangible benefits for Wales or represented value for money.

As a result, the Committee said it remains unclear whether significant public investment in international activity has aligned with government priorities or achieved its intended outcomes.

Poor oversight and accountability

The report also criticises the Welsh Government for what it describes as weak ministerial accountability.

Although international relations sit within the First Minister’s portfolio, the Committee noted that the First Minister appears before it only once a year and has declined to attend other scrutiny sessions, including those examining budget matters.

The Committee also highlighted failures to keep the Senedd properly informed about key developments, including the signing or renewal of international agreements, and said records of Wales’s international arrangements remain incomplete.

It warned that poor transparency not only limits democratic scrutiny but risks undermining confidence in Wales’s international work.

Call for ‘Mission Cymru’

Looking ahead, the Committee is urging future Welsh Governments to adopt Mission Cymru—a set of twelve principles designed to provide a clear, long-term vision for Wales’s international relations.

The Committee said the framework would help bring greater focus, coherence and accountability to international activity, ensuring Wales’s global engagement delivers measurable benefits at home.

The full report, Mission Cymru: Principles for international relations, has been published by the Senedd.