BBC -Lord Mandelson says he has resigned his membership of the Labour Party as he does not want to “cause further embarrassment” by his links to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The former cabinet minister, who was sacked as US ambassador last year because of his past connections to Epstein, appeared in the latest release of files by the US Department of Justice on Friday.
Documents suggest Epstein made $75,000 (£55,000) in payments to Lord Mandelson in three separate $25,000 transactions in 2003 and 2004.
In his letter to Labour’s general secretary on Sunday, Lord Mandelson said: “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this.”
He added: “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.
“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.
“I want to take this opportunity to repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now.
“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.”
Earlier on Sunday, Lord Mandelson had said he did not know whether the newly released documents were authentic.
He reiterated his regret for “ever having known Epstein” and for continuing his association following the disgraced financier’s conviction, apologising “unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered”.
His former Labour colleagues have said they approve of Lord Mandelson’s decision to leave the party.
Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Lord Mandelson should refer himself to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards, which investigates alleged breaches of the code of conduct.
Jo White, MP for Bassetlaw, said the whole episode regarding Lord Mandelson and the Epstein files had been “excruciating”.
“He’s embarrassed the Labour Party, he’s embarrassed the prime minister and he’s an embarrassment to himself to be honest,” White said.
Gordon McKee, MP for Glasgow South, told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour that Epstein’s victims would be “rightly outraged” by the recent revelations.
A Conservative Party spokesman criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for “allowing Mandelson to resign from the Labour Party instead of kicking him out”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for a “full Cabinet Office investigation” into whether Lord Mandelson or his husband took money from Epstein while he was a minister.
She also accused Sir Keir of having let Lord Mandelson resign from Labour rather than acting himself, adding: “If Starmer lacks the backbone to order this investigation, then it will be all the more clear that he bears full responsibility for bringing Mandelson back into British public life despite knowing about the relationship with Epstein.”
Housing Secretary Steve Reed had said the government was not aware of Lord Mandelson’s alleged financial links to Epstein, after being asked about it by Laura Kuenssberg.
