Minister Calls for Mandelson to Donate £75,000 Severance to Victim Charity
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has publicly urged disgraced peer Peter Mandelson to donate his £75,000 severance payout to a charity that supports victims, describing it as the "moral" course of action. The minister emphasised that he shares the widespread public frustration over the payment, which came to light following the release of government files.
Details of the Severance Negotiations
The controversy stems from the publication of documents related to Mandelson's appointment to a Washington position, revealing that the Labour grandee initially sought a payout for his entire four-year contract, which would have cost taxpayers £547,201. After negotiations, this was reduced to £75,000. Foreign Office officials reportedly feared that Mandelson might go public with damaging claims against the government if a settlement was not agreed upon swiftly.
Minister's Statements on BBC Breakfast and Sky News
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Mr Thomas-Symonds expressed his moral outrage, stating, "I share the moral outrage around this, and I'm sure I have the same emotional reaction other people did when they saw this." He acknowledged that from a numbers perspective, negotiating down from £547,000 to £75,000 made sense, especially given the risks of an employment tribunal where legal costs are typically not recovered even if one wins.
However, he insisted on a moral basis, saying, "On a moral basis, no, he absolutely shouldn't keep it, and I think the right thing to do would be to give it to charity and perhaps charity that supports victims." In an interview with Sky News, he added that the due diligence report raised serious questions, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer was "misled" by Mandelson regarding his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Background and Political Fallout
The 147-page dossier released on Wednesday detailed explosive revelations, including warnings of a "general reputational risk" in appointing Mandelson due to his friendship with the billionaire predator Jeffrey Epstein. Prime Minister Starmer sacked Mandelson in September after alleging he lied about the extent of these ties. Mr Thomas-Symonds noted that Starmer deeply regrets believing the reassurances given by Mandelson and has apologised for it.
This incident has sparked broader discussions about accountability and ethics in government appointments, with calls for greater transparency in severance agreements involving public funds.
