"Peter Mandelson should testify before the US Congress about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, a government minister has said, as documents appeared to show the late child sex offender sent the former US ambassador $75,000. Emails and other documents released by the US justice department on Friday shed new light on the closeness of the relationship between Epstein and Lord Mandelson. Bank statements appear to show three separate payments of $25,000 referencing the former UK business secretary and MP being sent from Epstein's JP Morgan bank accounts."
"Contacted about the statements, Mandelson said: I have no record and no recollection of receiving these sums and do not know if the documents are authentic. Mandelson reiterated that he had been wrong to believe Epstein and continue his association with him, adding: I deeply regret doing so and apologise unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered. On Sunday the housing, communities and local government secretary, Steve Reed, said Mandelson, who was sacked as British ambassador to Washington last year, had a moral obligation to share what he knew about the disgraced financier."
"He told Sky News that anyone with information or evidence should share it whether that is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whether it's Lord Mandelson, or whether it's anybody else, adding: [T]hey have a moral obligation to share what they knew so that the victims can help find the justice that they've been denied for so long. But Reed refused to be drawn on whether Mandelson, who has been on leave of absence from the House of Lords since he took up his role as US ambassador and does not currently have the Labour whip, should possibly be stripped of his peerage."
Documents released by the US Department of Justice suggest Jeffrey Epstein sent three payments of $25,000 each to accounts referencing Lord Peter Mandelson, totalling $75,000. Emails and bank statements indicate a closer relationship between Epstein and Mandelson than previously known. Mandelson says he has no record or recollection of receiving the sums and questions the authenticity of the documents, while expressing regret for maintaining an association with Epstein and apologising to victims. Housing minister Steve Reed said anyone with information has a moral obligation to share it, and pressure is growing on Labour over Mandelson's potential return to the Lords.
#jeffrey-epstein #peter-mandelson #us-congressional-testimony #bank-payments #labour-party-controversy
Read at www.theguardian.com
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