Foreign Office Faces 'Whitewash' Accusations Over Ignored Epstein-Mandelson Warnings
The Foreign Office has been accused of orchestrating a deliberate 'whitewash' after it emerged that officials ignored explicit warnings from The Mail on Sunday regarding meetings between Labour peer Peter Mandelson and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. This revelation comes as new documents from the extensive Epstein Files provide conclusive evidence that the encounters did indeed take place, despite previous government silence on the matter.
Exclusive Schedule Revealed Meetings During Official Trip
Epstein's private calendar, which was exclusively disclosed by this newspaper last year, indicated that Lord Mandelson was scheduled for two consecutive meetings with the disgraced financier at his New York mansion in March 2010. At that time, Mandelson held the dual roles of Business Secretary and First Secretary of State under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and he was visiting Manhattan on an official government trip that incurred over £8,000 in taxpayer expenses.
The Mail on Sunday directly questioned the Government about this schedule in March of last year, which was merely one month after Mandelson commenced his position as the UK Ambassador to the United States. Specifically, the inquiry sought confirmation about whether the peer had actually met with the sex offender during that period. However, the Foreign Office declined to provide any response to these pressing questions, and it remains uncertain whether officials ever confronted Mandelson about the calendar entries, which had been made public as part of a legal court case.
New Documents Confirm Meetings Amid Mounting Scrutiny
Recently uncovered documents within the vast Epstein Files now establish beyond any reasonable doubt that Mandelson did visit Epstein in New York. This development occurs alongside growing questions this weekend concerning Downing Street's vetting procedures prior to Mandelson's ambassadorial appointment. National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell characterized the process as 'weirdly rushed,' noting that Sir Keir Starmer did not personally interview Lord Mandelson before offering him the role, instead delegating the responsibility to two aides.
The relationship between Lord Peter Mandelson and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has escalated into a significant political scandal, resulting in Mandelson's dismissal from his position as UK Ambassador to the United States in late 2025. Currently, he is under criminal investigation in 2026 over allegations of misconduct in public office, which he is understood to deny. Meanwhile, Foreign Office chief Yvette Cooper finds her focus increasingly dominated by the escalating crisis in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
Shadow Minister Condemns Foreign Office Inaction
Last night, shadow minister Alex Burghart publicly criticized the Foreign Office, asserting that it 'appears to have turned a blind eye' to the warnings issued by The Mail on Sunday. He stated, 'This is a truly shocking revelation. This was a clear warning to the Government that their vetting of Mandelson had been completely mishandled. The Foreign Office's reaction appeared to be nothing short of a whitewash. The Conservatives have been fighting hard to get the government to admit what it knew – these new revelations from The Mail on Sunday show just how determined they were to look the other way.'
During his house arrest, Epstein was permitted to leave his Florida mansion, and the newly released documents detail his arrival via private jet at an airport near New York at 10:30 AM on March 2, 2010. He met with Mandelson at 7:30 PM that evening and again at 1:30 PM the following day. Notably, one hour before their initial meeting, Mandelson requested that Epstein send his personal driver to collect him, expressing concern that his movements might be monitored by UK Government officials. In a written message, he inquired, 'Can JoJo [Fontanilla, Epstein's driver] pick me up at 6:30 or so to avoid official car monitoring my every movement??'
In response to the allegations, the Foreign Office issued a statement last night, declaring, 'We will not comment while there is an ongoing police investigation.' This stance has only intensified accusations of a cover-up and raised further questions about transparency and accountability within the government's highest echelons.
