Peter Mandelson's relationship with disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein may be trouble for Labour (Image: Getty)
A photograph of New Labour grandee Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein threatens to embroil Sir Keir Starmer in the controversy surrounding the disgraced paedophile financier. The image taken in 2006 and showing Epstein with the Labour lord as he tries on a white belt on the billionaire's private island in the Caribbean resurfaced after its release along with other US court documents.
At the time the picture was taken, Lord Mandelson was the UK's European Commissioner for Trade. Epstein killed himself while locked up in a New York jail cell awaiting trial in August 2019.
A judge in the United States ordered hundreds of documents to be unsealed from Virginia Giuffre's previously settled civil claim against Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, which was filed in 2015. Others identified in the documents include Prince Andrew and former US president, Bill Clinton.
The release of the court documents has brought fresh scrutiny on the past links between Epstein and Lord Mandelson, who is widely believed to have been advising Sir Keir in the run up to the next general election.
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It is understood Labour insiders believe Sir Keir should sever ties with Lord Mandelson and suspend him from the party.
A senior Labour MP told the Telegraph if Lord Mandelson was on the left of centre, he would "certainly" have been suspended by the current leadership.
They added: "There’s an element of political hypocrisy here. People have been suspended for less and here we have clear evidence, including a photograph, that Mandelson was closely connected to a proven paedophile.
"I think Starmer should cut ties with him."
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Jeffrey Epstein liked to surround himself with powerful people (Image: Getty)
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Lord Mandelson was reportedly referred to by Epstein as "Petie".
Sir Keir was put on the back foot last week over Lord Mandelson's links to Epstein, including reports the politician stayed at Epstein's New York townhouse in 2009 when he was business secretary and the financier was in prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
At a press conference in Bristol, Sir Keir said: "On Peter Mandelson, look - and I do try to give pretty full answers in these sessions - I don't know any more than you do and, therefore, there's not really much I can add to what you already know, I'm afraid.
"That's simply the state of the affairs."
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Lord Mandelson is understood to be a key player in Sir Keir Starmer's election bid (Image: Getty)
Lord Mandelson has been approached for comment via his office at the House of Lords. In a statement given to the Telegraph, a spokesperson for the peer said he "very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein".
It added: "This connection has been a matter of public record for some time. He never had any kind of professional or business relationship with Epstein in any form."
A source from the party told the same publication Sir Keir speaks to a number of people from the last Labour government, including Lord Mandelson, and that will continue to be the case.
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Express.co.uk has also approached Labour for comment.
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