Britain’s embattled Prime Minister is once again on the back foot as fresh revelations threaten to deepen one of his government’s worst political crises.
The Latest Blow: Hundreds of Pages of Mandelson Files Published
With his poll ratings at historic lows and rivals circling, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces more embarrassment on Monday, June 1, 2026, with the publication of hundreds of pages of files relating to former U.K. Ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson — a man with a deeply troubling personal connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The release of the new documents adds yet another layer of pressure onto a prime minister already struggling to hold his government together. The timing could not be worse for Starmer, who has spent months dealing with political fallout that has steadily eroded his authority.
Who Is Peter Mandelson and Why Does It Matter?
Peter Mandelson, 72, is a veteran Labour politician and back-room architect of Labour’s revival under Tony Blair in the 1990s. He served in the cabinets of both Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown from 1997 to 2010. After Labour swept back into power in 2024, he was appointed U.K. Ambassador to the United States, taking up his post on February 10, 2025.
Starmer’s decision to appoint Mandelson — whose close ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein would later be detailed in files released by the U.S. Department of Justice — has threatened to engulf his premiership. Mandelson was sacked from the diplomatic role after just seven months in the post.
Starmer Was Warned — And Appointed Him Anyway
According to files released by the U.K. government, Starmer was sent a “due diligence checklist” in early December 2024, detailing the “reputational risks” associated with Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein. Despite the flagged items, Mandelson’s appointment was announced on December 20, 2024.
The due diligence report provided to Starmer noted that after Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008, Mandelson’s relationship with him continued from 2009 to 2011 — a period during which Mandelson was serving as Business Minister. Mandelson reportedly stayed at Epstein’s house while the financier was in jail in June 2009.
In April 2026, it was further reported that Mandelson had been denied full security clearance during vetting in January 2025. A government spokesperson stated that “the decision to grant developed vetting to Peter Mandelson against the recommendation of UK Security Vetting was taken by officials in the FCDO.” Starmer denied being informed that Mandelson had failed security vetting.
What the Epstein Files Revealed
The latest release of files by the U.S. Department of Justice included more than three million pages of documents, over 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images. Chief among the new claims against Mandelson are suggestions that he received payments from Epstein and may have shared market-sensitive information with him that was of financial interest to the financier.
Bank records released by U.S. authorities suggested that in 2009, Mandelson — then serving as Business Secretary — forwarded an economic briefing intended for then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown to Epstein, captioning it: “Interesting note that’s gone to the PM.” Mandelson also appears in an undated photograph beside a woman, in a dressing gown, whose face has been redacted by U.S. authorities.
Starmer’s Apology and the Political Fallout
Prime Minister Starmer formally apologised to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for appointing Mandelson, saying: “I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him and sorry that even now you’re forced to watch this story unfold in public once again.” Starmer said Mandelson had “portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew.”
The prime minister confirmed he was aware that ties between Mandelson and Epstein had continued despite Epstein’s 2008 U.S. conviction for soliciting a minor, prompting deep unease among Labour lawmakers increasingly unwilling to defend yet another misstep.
Starmer’s Chief of Staff and long-time ally Morgan McSweeney took responsibility for the appointment and resigned in February 2026. Director of Communications Tim Allan resigned the following day. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also dismissed the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, Olly Robbins, who said he had been put under “serious pressure” to push through the appointment.
Mandelson Quits Labour and Faces Police Investigation
Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party to avoid causing it “further embarrassment,” writing: “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this.” He also resigned from the House of Lords.
Peter Mandelson is now facing a police investigation over his ties to the late Epstein, including allegations he shared sensitive information with the convicted sex offender while serving as a Cabinet minister. Police searched Mandelson’s two homes, with the Metropolitan Police stating the searches were “related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences.” No arrests were made.
Starmer’s Leadership Under Threat
The latest Ipsos Political Pulse opinion poll suggests half of Britain’s electorate believes Starmer should step down, and two-thirds believe he is unlikely to win re-election. Starmer has one of the lowest approval ratings for a Western leader.
Calls for Starmer’s resignation intensified after Labour suffered big losses in local elections in May 2026. Senior Cabinet minister Wes Streeting resigned with the intention of challenging Starmer for the Labour leadership. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is running for a seat in Parliament in a June 18 special election and is also expected to challenge Starmer if he wins.
An overwhelming majority of Labour members — over four in five, at 83 percent — believe Starmer handled the Mandelson affair poorly, according to exclusive polling by Survation for LabourList.
Despite all this, analysts say Starmer is unlikely to be toppled immediately, with potential successors all facing difficulties of their own. “Starmer is likely to remain as Labour leader and prime minister for the foreseeable future — but with his political authority and credibility seriously weakened,” said one analyst at Cardiff University.
What Happens Next?
Prime Minister Starmer has ordered an urgent inquiry into the ties between Mandelson and Epstein during the politician’s time as a government minister. The review, led by Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald, will examine “all available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a government minister.” Starmer also said he believes Mandelson should be stripped of his title as a lord.
With fresh Mandelson files published today, the questions over Starmer’s judgment — and whether he acted swiftly enough on warnings — are not going away anytime soon. For a prime minister who came to office promising a clean break from political scandal, the Mandelson-Epstein saga has become a defining — and deeply damaging — chapter of his tenure.
As the Mandelson files continue to unravel, all eyes are on Downing Street — share your thoughts below and stay tuned for the latest updates on this developing political crisis.