Gordon Brown Condemns Mandelson's 'Betrayal' in Epstein Email Scandal
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has delivered a damning assessment of his former business secretary, Lord Peter Mandelson, accusing him of committing a "betrayal of his country" through his alleged correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The explosive claims follow the release of emails as part of the Epstein files, which have revealed detailed communications between the peer and the disgraced financier.
Alleged Leaks of Market-Sensitive Information
According to Mr Brown, Lord Mandelson shared commercially sensitive and financially secret information with Epstein in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. "All of the information he passed on... the papers by other advisers were commercially sensitive; this was financially secret information," the former Labour leader stated. He emphasised the potential consequences, saying: "It meant that Britain was at risk because of that, the currency was at risk, some of the trading that would happen would be speculative as a result of that."
Mr Brown expressed grave concern about the possible damage, adding: "There's no doubt that huge commercial damage could have been done and perhaps was done." The released emails appear to show Lord Mandelson briefing Epstein on internal UK government discussions, including providing advance notice of a €500 billion EU bank bailout in 2010. The peer also reportedly told Epstein he was "trying hard" to influence government policy on bankers' bonuses.
Police Investigation and Property Searches
The allegations come as police investigating claims of misconduct in a public office by Lord Mandelson have concluded searches of two of his properties - one in Camden, north London, and another in Wiltshire. The Metropolitan Police described the criminal investigation as "complex" and stated it would require "a significant amount of further evidence gathering and analysis."
Lord Mandelson has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, though he has expressed regret about maintaining a relationship with him and apologised to the sex offender's victims. The documents also suggest that Epstein sent money to Lord Mandelson and his partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva.
Political Fallout and Regrets
Mr Brown, who brought Lord Mandelson back into the cabinet after his two previous resignations under Tony Blair, admitted: "I made mistakes, I regret it, it shouldn't have happened." He said he and his colleagues had been betrayed by Lord Mandelson, but added: "the biggest betrayal was of the women and girls that were trafficked, that were exploited, that were treated as less than human."
When asked about his feelings regarding his former colleague's behaviour, Mr Brown responded: "shocked, sad, angry, betrayed, let down." He also criticised current Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for appointing Lord Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the United States last year, saying: "Keir Starmer was misled and he was betrayed. He has clearly said it was the wrong decision, and it was the wrong decision. Just as I made a mistake, he made a mistake."
Systemic Failure in Vetting
Despite his criticism, Mr Brown praised Sir Keir as a man of "integrity" and blamed a "systemic failure" in vetting procedures for Lord Mandelson's appointment. He explained: "Mandelson of course did appear... to have an unblemished record as the trade commissioner for four years. Nobody had ever heard of Epstein in the government, and nobody knew of any friendship between Epstein and Mandelson at that time."
The revelations come amid heightened scrutiny of political figures' connections to Epstein, with the release of documents continuing to shed light on the financier's extensive network of influential contacts. The timing of these disclosures adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing political discourse surrounding accountability and transparency in government.
