"British politician Peter Mandelson is stepping down from the United Kingdom's upper house of Parliament amid renewed scrutiny and the prospect of a criminal review into his ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The speaker of the House of Lords, Michael Forsyth, said on Tuesday that Mandelson, 72, had notified the chamber of his intention to resign. Forsyth said the move would come into effect on Wednesday."
"Mandelson, a former UK ambassador to the United States and longtime senior figure in the country's Labour Party, has come under intense pressure following the release of a new tranche of US government documents related to Epstein. The material includes emails from Mandelson to Epstein sharing political insights, including market-sensitive information during the 2008 financial crisis that critics say may have broken the law. British police have said they are assessing reports of possible misconduct to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation."
"Additional material includes emails suggesting a friendly relationship between the two men after Epstein's 2008 convictions for sex offences, as well as an image showing Mandelson in his underwear beside a woman whose face was obscured by US authorities. Mandelson told the BBC that he cannot place the location or the woman, and I cannot think what the circumstances were."
Peter Mandelson has notified the House of Lords of his intention to resign, effective Wednesday, amid renewed scrutiny and a possible criminal review over ties to Jeffrey Epstein. New US documents include emails in which Mandelson shared political insights with Epstein, including market-sensitive information during the 2008 financial crisis that critics say may have broken the law. British police are assessing reports to determine if the material meets the criminal threshold for investigation. Bank documents suggest Epstein transferred tens of thousands of dollars to accounts linked to Mandelson or his partner; Mandelson says he does not recall such transactions and will examine the documents. Additional material shows a friendly post-conviction relationship and an image of Mandelson in his underwear beside an obscured woman. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled and concerned more details may emerge.
#peter-mandelson #jeffrey-epstein #house-of-lords-resignation #criminal-investigation #financial-transfers
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