Ex-UK ambassador to US resigns from Labour Party over latest release of Epstein files

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday following new revelations about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

In a letter to the general secretary of the Labour party, Hollie Ridley, Lord Mandelson said he does not want to "cause further embarrassment" by his links to Epstein, according to the BBC.

In September last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed Mandelson from his role as ambassador to the US due to Epstein links.

His resignation from the party comes after the latest release of files by the US Department of Justice on Friday.

The documents suggest that Epstein made three separate payments of $25,000 each totaling $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson in 2003 and 2004.

In his letter, Mandelson said: "I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furor surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this."

"Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me.

"While doing this, I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party, and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party," he added.

The development came amid mounting pressure from UK politicians calling for the removal from the House of Lords of Mandelson, who is currently "on leave of absence."

In addition, images of Mandelson in his underwear were released in the latest tranche of the Epstein files. In some images, he is standing next to a woman whose face is redacted.