Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered a peerage to a close associate of Peter Mandelson who has resigned from his position following explosive revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Labour sources have confirmed that the Prime Minister extended the offer to place Ben Wegg-Prosser in the House of Lords while attempting to recruit him for a ministerial role after the 2024 general election.
Longstanding Political Connections
Mr Wegg-Prosser has maintained a decades-long association with Peter Mandelson, having served as his special adviser during Tony Blair's government before advancing to become Sir Tony's director of strategic communications within Number 10 Downing Street. Following his departure from government service, he co-founded the influential lobbying firm Global Counsel alongside Mandelson.
Epstein Connection Revealed
Last week, Mr Wegg-Prosser resigned from Global Counsel after the firm lost multiple clients due to revelations that both men had sought business advice from Jeffrey Epstein in 2010. This consultation occurred merely months after Epstein's release from prison for child-sex offences. Emails released by the United States Department of Justice provide detailed insight into why Mr Wegg-Prosser traveled to New York to meet with Epstein in March 2010, while the convicted paedophile financier was under house arrest.
In a preparatory message before the meeting, Mandelson explicitly told Epstein: 'Ben is coming to NYC to meet you and explain the business plan.' He followed up with additional commentary: 'Be nice to Ben. He is a very able organiser of life and its opportunities. And he watches my back big time.'
Epstein's Critical Assessment
After their encounter, Epstein provided Mandelson with a character assessment of Mr Wegg-Prosser, stating: 'Ben is media sensitive, good communication instincts. He's young and unaware of his limitations (my first concern). Has feeble business acumen.' Epstein suggested that Mr Wegg-Prosser could assist in managing the firm but emphasized that Mandelson needed to 'decide the program.' He concluded with the pointed advice: 'It's time to turn that substantial mind on helping yourself.'
Political Fallout and Resignation
The initial revelation that Mr Wegg-Prosser appeared in Epstein's calendar was first disclosed by The Mail on Sunday in 2023, over a year before Sir Keir extended his peerage offer. There exists no indication that Mr Wegg-Prosser possessed awareness of Epstein's criminal activities at the time of their meeting, and he has not responded to recent requests for comment.
However, in 2023, Mr Wegg-Prosser told The Mail on Sunday: 'I had the misfortune to meet Epstein on one occasion. It was a short meeting of no consequence and thankfully was never to be repeated.'
Conservative Criticism
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart commented last night: 'The Prime Minister's willingness to grant a gong and a government role to an associate of Epstein raises further concerns about his judgment. As Kemi Badenoch keeps arguing, people deserve to know what due diligence was done and why standards have slipped so badly.'
Downing Street was approached for comment regarding these developments but has not issued any response. The situation continues to develop as political observers scrutinize the connections between senior Labour figures and individuals linked to the Epstein scandal.
