UK PM says Mandelson 'lied' about Epstein relations

Weather - Sydney 9°C

UK PM says Mandelson 'lied' about Epstein relations

ECONOMY 04.02.2026

UK PM says Mandelson 'lied' about Epstein relations / Photo: © AFP

Prime Minister Keir Starmer Wednesday said he regretted naming Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US, following fresh allegations about the disgraced envoy's close ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Change text size:

The UK leader was set to release documents linked to the appointment of the former peer Mandelson, 72, one of numerous prominent figures embarrassed by revelations of ties to the late US financier.

"He's betrayed our country, he's lied repeatedly, he's responsible for a litany of deceit, but this moment demands not just anger, but action," Starmer told parliament.

Starmer accused the former minister and EU trade commissioner of failing "time and time again" to reveal the full extent of his relationship with Epstein during vetting for the Washington role last year.

Starmer's government agreed to submit to the parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee all documents in connection to the appointment, following growing anger from the opposition and some members of Starmer's own Labour party.

The prime minister's judgement is under scrutiny following new allegations that Mandelson had passed confidential and potentially market-sensitive information to Epstein nearly two decades ago.

"He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador," Starmer told MPs during a parliamentary grilling.

"I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government."

UK police have announced they are probing the claims, which emerged from email exchanges between Mandelson and Epstein that revealed their warm relations and financial dealings, as well as private photos.

Around that time, Epstein was serving an 18-month jail term in 2008-2009 for soliciting a minor in Florida, while Mandelson was a UK government minister.

The mails were part of a vast trove of files about Epstein published by the US Justice Department.

- 'Liberation day' -

Epstein was facing charges of alleged sex trafficking when he killed himself in jail in 2019.

Mandelson, for decades a pivotal and divisive figure in British politics, has had a chequered career and has twice resigned from government for alleged misconduct.

Starmer sacked him as ambassador in September after only seven months in the post following an earlier release of files about Epstein.

On Tuesday, Mandelson resigned from the upper house of parliament -- the unelected House of Lords -- after the latest release of files.

Other emails in the latest tranche appear to show Mandelson celebrating the American financier's release from prison in July 2009 as "Liberation Day!"

A day later, Mandelson asked Epstein: "How is freedom feeling?" Epstein replied: "She feels fresh, firm, and creamy."

Mandelson then replied: "Naughty boy."

The lewd comments were slammed by UK MPs, who heaped pressure on Starmer to explain his decision to hand Mandelson the ambassador's job in February 2025.

"Did he think at all about Epstein's victims?" asked Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey.

Pledging to release the vetting documents, Starmer said he wanted MPs to see how "Mandelson completely misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein".

- Criminal probe -

London's Metropolitan Police confirmed on Tuesday it had launched an investigation into Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

If any charges were brought and he were convicted, he could potentially face imprisonment.

The latest batch of US documents showed Mandelson had in 2009 forwarded an economic briefing to Epstein intended for then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Mandelson has told the BBC he had no memory of the money transfers and did not know whether the documents were authentic.

The EU is also investigating whether Mandelson breached any of its rules during his time as trade commissioner from 2004-2008.

The former minister, who is gay, had previously claimed to have been excluded from Epstein's sexual activities.

A.Wood--TNT

Featured

Nearly 1,100 flights cancelled after UK air traffic control glitch

Almost 1,100 flights to and from UK airports were cancelled Tuesday due to what the country's air traffic control service called a technical issue, in the latest glitch to spark travel chaos.

Carney touts Canada 'pivot' away from US as tariffs rise

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday said reducing economic ties with the United States would come at a cost but the long-term benefits were clear, as retaliatory tariffs on US products took effect.

The "Everlasting Battery" Inside Your Joints:UConn Professor's Self-Powered Healing Material just Got Acquired

A material that turns your own movement into medicine has just landed a corporate home. PetVivo Holdings (OTCQX: PETV), a veterinary biotech and biomedical device company focused on treating osteoarthritis in dogs and horses, has acquired PiezoBioMembrane (PBM) — a startup built around a biodegradable implant that generates electricity from the everyday force of a joint in motion, and uses that charge to help regrow cartilage from the inside out. The material is the invention of Thanh Nguyen, a professor of mechanical engineering in UConn's College of Engineering, who founded PBM in 2021 to advance new implementation methods for his work with piezoelectric materials — substances that convert mechanical force into electrical energy. These materials are typically ceramics: hard, brittle, and poorly suited for medical use. But Nguyen's lab developed new forms that are so , flexible, and biodegradable, breaking down naturally within the body over time. wound healing, The materials have already shown strong potential across a range of medical applications, including tissue regeneration, implanted force sensors, and targeted drug delivery in tumor treatment. How It Works biodegradable ultrasound for In the case of arthritis, Nguyen explains, the piezoelectric materials function as an off-the-shelf product that can be implanted or injected directly into the ailing joint — with no drugs, chemicals, or cells required. The everyday force exerted on the joint generates a small electrical charge, which helps regrow healthy cartilage, mimicking the body's natural use of electricity to regenerate tissue. "The body can be electrically stimulated to regrow," Nguyen says. PBM's materials "act like a battery — an everlasting battery that works whenever there is a force applied, and vanishes safely inside the body over time." PetVivo's Vision for the Acquisition PetVivo Holdings CEO John Lai expressed enthusiasm for the merger's potential to improve the lives of companion animals globally. "PBM has developed a compelling functional biomaterials platform with the potential to support the development of multiple medical device and therapeutic product lines across both human and animal health markets," Lai said in a press release. "By combining PBM's scientific innovation with PetVivo's product development capabilities, commercialization experience, regulatory expertise, and public company infrastructure, we believe we can accelerate theadvancement of technologies that may serve as the foundation for numerous future products and strategic opportunities." For Nguyen, the deal is a chance to scale technology that could eventually benefit both animals and people. "PetVivo is an animal health company, but they do have a big passion: pushing the technology towards clinical trials for human use," Nguyen says. "That aligned perfectly with my passion for developing technology that has an impact on human life. That is why I am excited about this merger, which facilitates my passion." A Track Record of Innovation Nguyen's research sits at the intersection of medicine, micro/nanotechnology, and biomaterials. His inventions have earned him publications in prominent scientific journals and media coverage from outlets including NPR. Nguyen founded PBM during the COVID-19 pandemic, a er realizing the material he had developed could be used to create an especially effective, biodegradable face mask — one where the mechanical force of breathing generated an electrical charge that provided an extra layer of protection against viruses. PBM is not Nguyen's only venture in the acquisition pipeline. His other startup, Single-Time Microneedles (STM), is also currently undergoing an acquisition process. STM has pioneered stable, efficient vaccine delivery technology in the form of an adhesive patch. shelfNguyen's focus on biodegradable materials has translated into a remarkably diverse range of medical applications. He has received five R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting research in cartilage regeneration, bone regeneration, HIV antibody delivery systems, and biodegradable ultrasound technology to boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy for brain cancer. "Whatever we are working on, we want to show that it works very well in vitro and in vivo," Nguyen says. "Then, when we are at the point of commercialization, we set up a startup or license the technology — or maybe team up with an industry partner." Thanh Nguyen is a professor of mechanical engineering in UConn's College of Engineering. (Courtesy of Thanh Nguyen

Octrado introduces its proprietary trading offering: "Your Skill. Our Capital"

Infrastructure, transparent rules and clear legal boundaries positioned as the core of the funded-account model

Change text size:

The National Times - UK PM says Mandelson 'lied' about Epstein relations