Peter Mandelson allegedly called convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein his "best pal" in a birthday message from 2003, according to documents released by US lawmakers. The UK Ambassador to the US reportedly described Epstein as an "intelligent, sharp-witted man" who had "parachuted" into his life.
The message appeared in a birthday book compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein's 50th birthday. Democratic politicians from the House Oversight Committee released the documents after subpoenaing them last month.
Official responses
A spokesman for Lord Mandelson told the BBC he had "long been clear that he very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein". The spokesman referenced previous comments where Mandelson said: "I regret ever meeting him or being introduced to him by his partner Ghislaine Maxwell."
The birthday book also allegedly contained a drawing of a woman's body signed by Donald Trump. The White House denied its authenticity on Monday, stating the US President "did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it".
Controversial contents revealed
The Guardian reports the birthday book contains 238 pages of highly sexualised content and redacted photos. Maxwell, Epstein's British co-conspirator and ex-girlfriend, compiled the book three years before sex abuse allegations against Epstein became public in 2006.
According to HuffPost UK, Mary Trump has contradicted the White House denial, providing family insider authentication of her uncle's alleged contribution. This adds another layer of controversy to the document's authenticity disputes.
In his alleged message, Mandelson wrote that after Epstein appeared in his life, he spent "many hours just waiting for him to turn up". The former Labour Cabinet minister reportedly concluded: "Wherever he is in the world, he remains my best pal! Happy Birthday, Jeffrey. We love you!"
Background context
Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of conspiring to traffic girls for sex.
A 2019 JP Morgan internal report, filed to a New York court in 2023, outlined how Epstein had a "particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Lord Peter Mandelson". The connection between Mandelson and Epstein has been a matter of public record for some time.
Sources used: "GB News", "The Guardian", "HuffPost UK", "The Wall Street Journal", "BBC" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
