Exclusive:Peter Mandelson should lose peerage over Epstein links, says Scots Labour MP
Alloa and Grangemouth MP Mr Leishman said the scandal meant it was ‘fair to question Morgan McSweeney’s influence’ as the Downing Street Chief of Staff had pushed for Lord Mandelson to be appointed US ambassador
Lord Peter Mandelson must lose his peerage after further revelations about his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, a Scottish Labour MP has said.
Brian Leishman said the disgraced former Labour minister should be booted out of the House of Lords after an email exchange from 2009 showed Lord Mandelson telling Mr Epstein he would lobby ministers about a tax on bankers’ bonuses. Lord Mandelson was in Cabinet at the time.
Bank statements from 2003 and 2004 appeared to show he received payments totalling 75,000 US dollars from the financier.
Alloa and Grangemouth MP Mr Leishman said the scandal meant it was “fair to question Morgan McSweeney’s influence”, as the Downing Street Chief of Staff had pushed for Lord Mandelson to be appointed as US ambassador.
Lord Mandelson resigned his Labour membership on Sunday after he featured in documents released by the US Department of Justice on Friday related to Mr Epstein.
He was sacked as the ambassador to Washington DC last year after revelations of his continued contact with Epstein, following the financier’s guilty plea in 2008 to soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor.
Mr Leishman said: “Peter Mandelson has been sacked three times in disgrace. He openly said he was working every day to undermine Jeremy Corbyn when he was the democratically elected leader of the Labour Party. He was best friends with Epstein. He shouldn’t have been allowed to resign, he should have been kicked out.
“Looking at the political mistakes and mis-steps since coming into power then it’s fair to question Morgan McSweeney’s influence in the party. The British public are struggling to define what Keir Starmer’s political mission is, and as Chief of Staff then Morgan McSweeney has questions to answer.
“The Prime Minister should now act decisively and remove Peter Mandelson’s peerage.”
The SNP has called for a full investigation into Lord Peter Mandelson’s role in Labour governments.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has written to the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus saying an urgent inquiry is needed in light of revelations in the Epstein files.
The SNP has also questioned why the former US ambassador is still a member of the House of Lords.
Mr Flynn said: “Given the serious allegations that are still emerging regarding the extent of the relationship, political influence and financial hold the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein had over Lord Mandelson – there is an urgent need for a full and swift investigation into Peter Mandelson’s conduct in public life and importantly – particularly in terms of your own remit – how and why he was ever appointed to high office by these Labour prime ministers.”
The SNP MP said the “full and swift” inquiry must examine any contact between Lord Mandelson and Epstein.
It should also examine Sir Keir Starmer’s knowledge of allegations about Lord Mandelson, Mr Flynn said.
The SNP Westminster leader continued: “The constant drip, drip of revelations and allegations regarding Peter Mandelson, and the clear extent and length of his relationship with Epstein, is not alone a sickening stain on his own time in office – more importantly it undoubtedly adds to the pain of Epstein’s many victims.
“The only way to stop that slow drip, drip of allegations is to immediately launch a full and swift inquiry – into Mandelson himself and into how and why three Labour prime ministers repeatedly appointed him despite his relationship with Epstein.”
Downing St was approached for comment.
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