Lord Peter Mandelson has likened Jeffrey Epstein to an indelible nuisance in a recent interview, calling him “dog muck that you can’t get off your shoe.” Mandelson’s former partner, now husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, reportedly requested £10,000 from Epstein for an osteopathy course shortly after Epstein’s release from prison for child prostitution offenses in 2009. Mandelson, who was dismissed as the US ambassador due to his connections with Epstein, made these remarks to The Times just after resigning from the Labour party.
In the interview, Mandelson further compared Epstein to the “bubonic plague” and addressed new revelations from the Epstein files, including a controversial photograph of him in his underwear in Epstein’s Paris apartment. Mandelson expressed confusion about the image, stating he had no recollection of the circumstances surrounding it. Additionally, a photograph showing Mandelson and Epstein together on a yacht raised questions about their relationship.
Amid mounting political pressure, critics have accused Mandelson of inappropriate dealings with Epstein following his conviction in 2008. Keir Starmer, a prominent figure in the Labour party, has called for an urgent review of Mandelson’s correspondence with Epstein and suggested that Mandelson should not retain his House of Lords membership. Mandelson denies some allegations but acknowledges that his husband accepted money from Epstein for educational purposes, which he viewed as a gesture of kindness.
Regarding alleged payments from Epstein to accounts linked to him, Mandelson stated he has no recollection of receiving such sums. He expressed regret for maintaining his association with Epstein post-conviction and apologized to the victims. Despite calls for him to testify before Congress on Epstein-related matters, Mandelson declined, asserting that he has no additional information to provide and had no involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.
