LONDON — The British government on Monday began releasing a second batch of documents covering Peter Mandelson’s appointment as U.S. ambassador to Washington despite his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Keir Starmer’s embattled administration vowed to begin releasing files related to Mandelson’s controversial — and ill-fated — appointment as envoy after U.S. disclosures showed he continued to correspond with the sex offender for years after his conviction.
The second tranche of documents is intended to include extensive caches of emails, text messages, and WhatsApp logs passing between government officials, ministers, and special advisers concerning Mandelson’s time in the role — and direct correspondence with the Labour grandee himself.
Mandelson was sacked as Britain’s top Washington diplomat in September last year, with further revelations prompting a police investigation into his conduct.
He was arrested in February. Mandelson has not been charged, and his lawyers have said he is cooperating with the investigation. He has previously apologized “unequivocally” for his association with Epstein and “to the women and girls that suffered.”
This developing story is being updated.