The files released by the government states that negotiations \u201cbegan with a request by the individual [Mandelson] to pay out the remainder of the 4-year salary costs of the fixed term appointment. This would have amounted to \u00a3547,201.\u201d<\/p>\n
He received \u00a375,000, made up of \u00a340,330 pay in lieu of notice to cover the three months notice period in his contract and \u00a334,670 special severance payment.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Under the heading \u201cRelationship with Jeffrey Epstein\u201d, the due diligence report noted:<\/p>\n A 2019 report commissioned by JPMorgan found that Epstein appeared to \u2018maintain a particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew the Duke of York and Lord Peter Mandelson, a senior member of the British government\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n After Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008, their relationship continued across 2009-2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government. Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein\u2019s House while he was in jail in June 2009.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n On reporting of the JP Morgan report, Lord Mandelson\u2019s spokesperson said \u2018Lord Mandelson very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein. 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\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A Labour Party spokesperson has previously commented saying \u201cThere are a whole range of people that Keir Starmer<\/a> talks to. Obviously he talks to people who were part of the last Labour government, including Peter Mandelson.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The report also pointed to a 2024 Telegraph report on the pair\u2019s links.<\/p>\n It said: \u201cThe Cabinet Office holds official records that are likely to be released by the National Archives early next year, which relate to a Tony Blair meeting with Epstein that was facilitated by Mandelson.\u201d<\/p>\n The due diligence report concluded: \u201cTo note \u2013 general reputational risk.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Due diligence report warns ‘general reputation risk’ over Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, documents reveals<\/p>\n A due diligence report by the Cabinet Office on the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US found there was a \u201cgeneral reputational risk\u201d<\/strong> over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the documents reveal.<\/p>\n The due diligence report drawn up in December 2024 before his appointment noted a series of reports detailing his links with Epstein.<\/p>\n Here is one of those reports it detailed:<\/p>\n double quotation markAfter Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008, their relationship continued across 2009-2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was Business Minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government. Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein\u2019s House while he was in jail in June 2009.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a>First set of documents relating to Peter Mandelson published<\/p>\n The government has just published the first set of documents relating to Peter Mandelson\u2019s appointment as ambassador to the US. <\/strong><\/p>\n Our team is reading through the documents, which are expected to relate to the process of his appointment as US ambassador in 2024. We will bring you the updates as they come.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Home secretary bans all processions related to Al Quds Day until 11 April<\/p>\n A ban on processions related to Al Quds Day will be in place until 11 April, home secretary Shabana Mahmood<\/strong> has told MPs.<\/p>\n In a statement to the Commons, she said:<\/p>\n double quotation markMy first duty is to keep the public safe, having carefully and thoroughly considered the risk … assessment presented to me by the Metropolitan Police, I am satisfied that an order under section 13 is necessary.<\/p>\n For one month there will therefore be a prohibition on processions in London related to Al Quds Day by protesters and counter-protesters, which will come into effect today and will end on the 11th of April.<\/p>\n Should the commissioner consider a further extension is required, he will be able to make a further submission at that time.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It follows the home secretary banning a pro-Palestinian march in London on Sunday<\/a> after police warned of a risk of \u201cserious public disorder\u201d.<\/p>\n The annual al-Quds Day march has drawn criticism over apparent backing for the Iranian regime after its organisers expressed support for the country\u2019s late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n Some participants in the past have waved the flag of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, which is banned in the UK as a terrorist group.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Keir Starmer has attacked Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage over their stance on the war in Iran, accusing both of U-turning on their support for Donald Trump.<\/strong><\/p>\n At a raucous prime minister\u2019s questions, Starmer accused the leader of the opposition of making the \u201cmother of all U-turns\u201d and furiously trying to backpedal after she denied calling for the UK to join the US president\u2019s war on Iran<\/a> on Tuesday, after previously saying Starmer should do more to \u201cstop the people who are attacking us\u201d.<\/p>\n Last week Badenoch repeatedly pressed Starmer on his decision not to launch offensive strikes to destroy missile bases, asking: \u201cWhy is he asking our allies to do what we should be doing ourselves?\u201d<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Starmer said: \u201cIf I\u2019d asked her last week, her position would be, we support the initial strikes and we want to join the war. This week, she says, we don\u2019t want to join the war.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is the mother of all U-turns on the single most important decision a prime minister ever has to take, whether to commit the United Kingdom to war or not.\u201d<\/p>\n To cheers from his own backbenchers, he added: \u201cShe has utterly disqualified herself from ever becoming prime minister, thankfully she never will.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Taz Ali<\/p>\n That concludes PMQs, with fuel duty and the war in Iran<\/a> dominating the session today.<\/p>\n Starmer accused Badenoch of rowing back on calls for the UK to join the US in striking Iran<\/strong>, reminding her again and again of the comments she made last week about the British military \u201cjust hanging around\u201d in the Middle East. He appeared confident in saying that he has made the right decisions so far on the conflict, which are in step with public opinion.<\/p>\n Answering questions on the cost of petrol, Starmer said fuel duty will remain frozen until September<\/strong> and will be \u201ckept under review in light of what\u2019s happening in Iran\u201d, although he is under pressure to cancel it amid rising oil prices caused by the war.<\/p>\n We are expecting the Mandelson documents this afternoon<\/strong>, follow us here to get the latest lines.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.32 EDT<\/p>\n Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife)<\/strong> mentioned the Mandelson<\/strong> documents that are due to be released later today, saying they will bring to light \u201cfor the first time UK institutional knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein and those associated with him\u201d.<\/p>\n She added that in the UK \u201cwe have our own Epstein, and Mohamed Al Fayed and the institutions that supported his crimes\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Al Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94, is the former owner of Harrods accused of sexually abusing women and girls over nearly four decades.<\/p>\n Chamberlain said the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for survivors of Al Fayed welcomed the actions of the Metropolitan police, \u201cbut we continue to call on them to describe those crimes as what they were trafficking\u201d. She asked if the prime minister recognised that characterisation.<\/p>\n He responded:<\/p>\n double quotation markI\u2019m very happy to meet the APPG and the victims. I think it\u2019s very important to do so. She\u2019ll know there\u2019s an ongoing police investigation, but that doesn\u2019t mean that we can\u2019t have the meeting and listen to those that need to be listened to.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.02 EDT<\/p>\n Starmer asked if bombing of Iranian school was a war crime<\/p>\n The SNP\u2019s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn<\/strong>, said Trump\u2019s war in Iran<\/a> \u201cis illegal\u201d and that the situation unfolding in the Middle East \u201cis verging on insane\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n He asked the prime minister:<\/p>\n double quotation markHe\u2019ll have seen the same footage I have of an American Tomahawk missile landing on a primary school, killing 110 children. Does he believe that to be a war crime?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This is in reference to a girls school in the town of Minab<\/strong> in southern Iran, which was hit by a missile on the first day of the US-Israeli bombing campaign against the country.<\/p>\n Starmer responded:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019re all concerned by that footage. But let me be absolutely clear with him. We have 300,000 UK nationals, including Scottish citizens, in the region. Strikes, missiles and drones are being fired into the region, putting them at great danger.<\/p>\n We are taking action to protect them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.03 EDT<\/p>\n Starmer asked to guarantee no big rise in energy bills<\/p>\n Ed Davey<\/strong>, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said families across the country have seen petrol prices rise at the pump, mortgage rates go up and fixed new deals get more expensive \u201call because of a war they did not start and do not support\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n He said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe leader of the Conservatives has been competing with the honourable member for Clacton [Nigel Farage] to be Donald Trump\u2019s biggest cheerleader, and the prime minister was right to reject their costly warmongering.<\/p>\n I asked him to guarantee the energy bills won\u2019t rise by hundreds of pounds in July. He didn\u2019t answer. So let me try again. Will he give people that energy bill guarantee now?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Starmer said he is working with the sector and allies \u201cto do everything we can to make sure those energy bills don\u2019t rise\u201d.<\/p>\n He said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019re working around the clock on that. The most important thing, the most effective thing we can do is to work with our allies to find a way to de-escalate the situation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n He took the opportunity to take a swipe at Badenoch again and at Reform, saying they were \u201curging to join\u201d the war in Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they had been leading the country, we\u2019d be in a war,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.05 EDT<\/p>\n Answering Badenoch\u2019s<\/strong> question about fuel duty, Starmer<\/strong> said it is going to \u201cremain frozen until September\u201d.<\/p>\n Badenoch asked about HMS Dragon<\/strong> – which departed the UK yesterday and will take five days to reach the Mediterranean \u2013 saying it would have left a week ago if she was prime minister.<\/p>\n Starmer said the ship has been \u201ccarefully being loaded with the anti-strike ammunition and capability that it needs, and the navy and civilians have been working 22-hour shifts in relation to it\u201d.<\/p>\n He again points to Badenoch\u2019s comments to the BBC last week suggesting the British military had been \u201cjust hanging around\u201d in the Middle East as the Iran<\/a> crises deepens, and says she should apologise.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.09 EDT<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> told the Commons that Badenoch<\/strong> has abandoned her position on the UK joining the war in Iran<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cShe told the BBC I haven\u2019t said we should have gone in with the United States,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is the mother of all U-turns \u2013 on the single most important decision a prime minister ever has to take, whether it\u2019s the United Kingdom to war or not.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.09 EDT<\/p>\n Starmer says Badenoch ‘abandoned her position’ after initial support for Iran strikes<\/p>\n Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch<\/strong> began by asking: \u201cWhy does the prime minister think now is the right time to increase the cost of petrol?\u201d<\/p>\n Starmer responds by saying the UK is taking necessary measures to deal with the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the best thing that we can do, is to work with others to de-escalate the situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I said to the House last week, I took the decision that we should not join the initial US Israeli offensive against Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe leader of the opposition attacked me for that decision relentlessly. She said that the UK should have joined the US and Israel in the initial offensive strikes.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd yesterday, in the wake of the economic consequences, the leader of the opposition totally abandoned her position.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.10 EDT<\/p>\n Starmer begins by telling the Commons that the armed forces are working day and night to protect British lives in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The prime minister thanked them for their \u201ccourage and for their professionalism\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.08 EDT<\/p>\n Starmer is about to begin PMQs, you can watch it on our live feed here:<\/p>\n Also this morning, a pro-Palestinian march in London on Sunday has been banned by Shabana Mahmood after police warned of a risk of \u201cserious public disorder\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n The annual al-Quds Day march has drawn criticism over apparent backing for the Iranian regime after its organisers expressed support for the country\u2019s late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/strong><\/p>\n Some participants in the past have waved the flag of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, which is banned in the UK as a terrorist group.<\/p>\n Announcing her decision to ban the march after a request by the Metropolitan police, Mahmood said she was \u201csatisfied doing so is necessary to prevent serious public disorder, due to the scale of the protest and multiple counterprotests, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East\u201d.<\/p>\n Read the full report here:<\/p>\n\n
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![\"Alexandra](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Alexandra_Topping,_L.png\")
Alexandra Topping<\/p>\n\n
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![\"PMQs:](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/791.jpg\")
PMQs: Keir Starmer takes questions in parliament \u2013 watch liveShare<\/a>![\"Ben](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773239057_231_Ben_Quinn.png\")
Ben Quinn<\/p>\n