Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu Newsletters NPR Shop Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music The Best Music of 2025 All Songs Considered Tiny Desk Music Features Live Sessions Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Fresh Air Up First Featured Embedded The NPR Politics Podcast Throughline Trump's Terms More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop The Best Music of 2025 All Songs Considered Tiny Desk Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics U.K. police investigating Peter Mandelson over Jeffrey Epstein email leak claims Peter Mandelson, the United Kingdom's former ambassador to Washington, is being investigated over claims he leaked sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein. World U.K. police investigating Peter Mandelson over Jeffrey Epstein email leak claims February 4, 20266:45 AM ET Heard on Morning Edition Lauren Frayer U.K. police investigating Peter Mandelson over Jeffrey Epstein email leak claims Listen · 2:05 2:05 Transcript Toggle more options Download Embed Embed "> <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5698310/nx-s1-9634378" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript Peter Mandelson, the United Kingdom's former ambassador to Washington, is being investigated over claims he leaked sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein. Sponsor Message
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Police in the United Kingdom have opened a criminal investigation into the country's former ambassador to Washington. It's over allegations he leaked sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein. NPR's Lauren Frayer reports from London.
LAUREN FRAYER, BYLINE: This is the line Peter Mandelson is famous for.
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PETER MANDELSON: I am a fighter and not a quitter.
FRAYER: After a political comeback 25 years ago. He's been an MP, a cabinet minister, envoy to the U.S., a post he resigned from last year over his friendship with the late sex offender Epstein. Now Mandelson has also quit the House of Lords over the latest Epstein files released by the U.S. Justice Department.
DAN NEIDLE: What we found was extraordinary.
FRAYER: Tax attorney and think tank founder Dan Neidle sifted through the latest trove. Photos of Mandelson in his underwear, alleged payments Epstein made to Mandelson and his husband and emails from when Mandelson was a cabinet secretary after the 2008 financial crisis.
NEIDLE: Peter Mandelson was forwarding sensitive government emails to Epstein, not just sensitive U.K. government emails. He was leaking U.K. and U.S. government secrets, essentially, to Wall Street.
FRAYER: Police are investigating whether that was criminal. Mandelson did not answer NPR's calls and hasn't commented on the email allegations. He issued a statement saying he has no recollection of payments. But this episode raises questions about Prime Minister Keir Starmer's judgment in naming him ambassador just over a year ago.
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PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER: Many people love him. Others love to hate him.
FRAYER: Starmer joked about Mandelson's reputation in a D.C. visit last year.
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STARMER: But to us, he's just Peter.
(LAUGHTER)
FRAYER: Mandelson's former colleague in Parliament Harriet Harman told the BBC he and other elites have hurt public trust. This week, the king's brother - no longer prince, just Andrew - moved off Windsor Castle grounds, also in disgrace.
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HARRIET HARMAN: People will think all their prejudices about politicians have proved right.
FRAYER: Because of the revelations in these Epstein files.
Lauren Frayer, NPR News, London.
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