British police on Tuesday opened a criminal investigation into Peter Mandelson over allegations he passed confidential government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a Cabinet minister.

The 72-year-old Mandelson, a longtime powerbroker in the Labour Party who served as Britain's ambassador to the United States until September, announced his resignation from the House of Lords the same day. His departure from Parliament's upper chamber takes effect Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police said detectives had reviewed reports of misconduct in public office and determined they met the threshold for a full criminal investigation.

"I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former government minister, for misconduct in public office offences," Commander Ella Marriott said in a statement. Misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

What the Documents Show

A tranche of more than 3 million pages of Epstein-related documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday has brought damaging revelations about Mandelson's relationship with the disgraced financier.

The files contain emails that appear to show Mandelson forwarding internal government communications to Epstein while serving as business secretary under Prime Minister Gordon Brown during the 2008 global financial crisis and its aftermath.

In June 2009, Mandelson appears to have sent Epstein an internal assessment discussing ways the British government could raise money by selling off government assets. Mandelson wrote: "Interesting note that's gone to the PM." Epstein replied asking: "what salable assets?"

In December 2009, emails indicate Mandelson discussed the government's plans for a one-off tax on bankers' bonuses with Epstein. When Epstein asked whether the head of JP Morgan should call the chancellor, Mandelson appears to have replied "Yes and mildly threaten."

In May 2010, Mandelson messaged Epstein that "sources tell me 500 b euro bailout" was almost complete. The message was dated hours before European governments announced a 500 billion euro deal to shore up the single currency.

Another email from May 2010, following the general election that resulted in a hung parliament, appears to show Mandelson telling Epstein, "Finally got him to go today"—an apparent reference to Brown, who announced his resignation the following day.

Bank documents in the files also suggest Epstein sent three payments totaling $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson or his partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, in 2003 and 2004. Mandelson has said he does not remember receiving the money and will investigate whether the documents are authentic.

In 2009, Epstein sent da Silva 10,000 pounds to pay for an osteopathy course. Mandelson told The Times of London that "in retrospect, it was clearly a lapse in our collective judgment for Reinaldo to accept this offer."

Starmer's Response

Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his Cabinet on Tuesday that he was "appalled" by the revelations and was concerned more details have yet to emerge. His spokesman said Starmer believes Mandelson "let his country down."

The government passed material to police after an initial review found the documents contained "likely market-sensitive information" that should not have been shared outside of government. The Cabinet Office said official handling safeguards had been "compromised."

Starmer's spokesman said the prime minister believes Mandelson should no longer be a member of the House of Lords or use the title Lord Mandelson. However, Starmer does not have the power to directly remove a peerage—that requires an act of Parliament, something that has not been done since legislation was passed to strip titles from nobles who sided with Germany in World War I.

Officials have been ordered to draft legislation to remove Mandelson's peerage as quickly as possible.

"The prime minister regards it as ridiculous that a peerage cannot be removed except with primary legislation," a spokesman said.

Brown, who served as prime minister from 2007 to 2010, said he had written to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley with information relevant to the investigation. Brown called Mandelson's disclosure of confidential government information "an inexcusable and unpatriotic act."

A Career Defined by Scandal

Mandelson had been a dominant figure in the Labour Party for more than four decades. He was instrumental in the party's return to electoral success under Tony Blair in the 1990s and earned the nickname "Prince of Darkness" for his political maneuvering.

His career has been marked by repeated scandals and resignations. In 1998, he quit as trade minister over questions about a loan he received from a fellow minister to buy a house. A second stint in the Cabinet ended in 2001 when he was forced out over allegations involving a passport application for an Indian businessman. He was later cleared of acting improperly in that case.

Mandelson was made a life peer in 2008 and served as business secretary in Brown's government until Labour lost the 2010 election.

Starmer appointed him as Britain's ambassador to Washington in December 2024, a decision that drew criticism given that Mandelson's ties to Epstein were already known. Labour MP John McDonnell said on social media that he had "warned" the prime minister about the appointment but Starmer "never listened."

Starmer fired Mandelson from the ambassadorship in September after documents released by U.S. lawmakers included a letter in which Mandelson called Epstein "my best pal."

On Sunday, Mandelson resigned his membership in the Labour Party, saying he did not wish to cause "further embarrassment." He said he believed the allegations about financial payments from Epstein were false.

The emails and text messages in the newly released files show that Mandelson's friendship with Epstein continued after the financier's 2008 conviction in Florida for soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges accusing him of sexually abusing dozens of girls.

Political Fallout

Health Secretary Wes Streeting called Mandelson's friendship with Epstein "a betrayal on so many levels."

"It is a betrayal of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein that he continued that association and that friendship for so long after his conviction," Streeting told the BBC. "It is a betrayal of not just one but two prime ministers."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch questioned how Mandelson came to be appointed ambassador when "there are vetting procedures which would have stopped him from ever being appointed."

"Labour have been covering this up," she alleged. "It is now time for us to look into that."

Zia Yusuf, the head of policy for Reform UK, called for Starmer to resign over the scandal.

"He did so in defiance of advice from the United Kingdom's intelligence agencies," Yusuf said of Starmer's decision to appoint Mandelson. "I think Keir Starmer has a serious question to answer."

Opening a criminal investigation does not mean Mandelson will be arrested, charged, or convicted. He has not publicly responded to requests for comment on the latest allegations.