LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confronts another political crisis Monday as hundreds of pages of government documents about former U.K. ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson are set to become public, highlighting the diplomat’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The government plans to meet parliamentary demands to disclose records concerning Mandelson’s selection for and performance in Britain’s top diplomatic position.
After serving just nine months, Mandelson was dismissed, and the controversy surrounding his problematic appointment has put Starmer’s leadership in jeopardy.
An initial batch of documents released in March showed that government officials had been cautioned that Mandelson’s association with Epstein could create “reputational risk” for the administration.
Subsequently, it emerged that Mandelson received approval for the ambassadorial position despite not passing security clearance requirements, leading to heated finger-pointing between Starmer and top civil service officials responsible for security screening.
Monday’s document release may contain over 1,000 pages, including correspondence such as emails and text messages exchanged between Mandelson and government officials and advisers.
Law enforcement has requested that certain documents remain confidential as they are part of an ongoing criminal probe into Mandelson for suspected misconduct in public office. The 72-year-old Mandelson was temporarily detained in February by investigators looking into claims he shared classified government intelligence with Epstein during his ministerial tenure fifteen years earlier.
He remains free with no bail restrictions while the police inquiry proceeds.
Health Secretary James Murray stated Monday that the document disclosure represents an “unprecedented” degree of government openness.
“It’s right we do that. We have been very clear that the appointment of Mandelson was wrong,” he told Sky News.
Conservative lawmaker Alex Burghart warned that any effort to suppress or heavily edit documents beyond those requested by police “will be viewed by the House as a contempt of Parliament, and as a cover-up by the British public.”
Starmer terminated Mandelson’s position in September 2025 following an earlier document release that demonstrated he had continued communication with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sexual crimes involving a minor.
Opposition figures argue that Starmer’s choice to name Mandelson demonstrates poor decision-making by a prime minister who has committed numerous errors since leading the center-left Labour Party to an overwhelming electoral win in July 2024.
Information about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, exposed in extensive files released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January, generated fresh concerns about Starmer’s leadership abilities, prompting adversaries and some Labour members of parliament to demand the prime minister step down.
These demands grew stronger after Labour experienced significant defeats in local elections in May. A senior Cabinet minister, Wes Streeting, stepped down with plans to contest Starmer for Labour leadership. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is seeking a parliamentary seat in a June 18 special election and is also anticipated to challenge Starmer if successful.
