A Labour politician’s car crash interview has pulled the spotlight further onto the ongoing scandal over Peter Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Baron Mandelson, who was one of the most powerful party figures under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, was sacked as ambassador to the US on Thursday after emails he sent to Epstein was linked.
Lord Falconer, who served with Mandelson in Blair’s government, was challenged on the issue in an interview with Sky News today.
He refused to engage in no less than eight distinct attempts to question him on the matter.
Mandelson referred to Epstein as ‘my best pal’ in a letter included in the late billionaire paedophile’s 50th birthday book, made when Mandelson was serving in Blair’s cabinet.
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The government told MPs Mandlelson had not fully disclosed the extent of his friendship to Epstein when he was appointed ambassador in February, highlighting an email in which he suggested Epstein’s first conviction for child sex offences was wrongful.
Falconer, now a backbench peer championing a bill on assisted dying set to be debated in the House of Lords, was asked about the topic for the main portion of the interview.
When interviewer Kamali Melbourne then tells Lord Falconer he wants to ask him about Mandelson, the peer replies: ‘Would you mind if I don’t go there?’
Falconer admits to knowing Baron Mandelson well, having both been part of former prime minister Tony Blair’s cabinet for several years until Mandelson left in 2004.
Lord Falconer asks again to avoid the topic, saying he is ‘talking about assisted dying today, which is such a big issue’.
Mr Melbourne points out the pair spent ‘at least five minutes’ discussing the topic.
‘I’m afraid I won’t go there … I’m not going to comment at all’, Lord Falconer responds.
The Sky Presenter then asks whether Lord Falconer has had a conversation with Baron Mandelson about the issue but is again stonewalled.
After pressing the peer further, Mr Melbourne asks: ‘Are you embarrassed by what’s happened here?’
Lord Falconer responds: ‘I’m not remotely a bit embarrassed, I really do want to focus on assisted dying’.
After a final attempt, he repeats: ‘I’m afraid I really want to focus on assisted dying.’
Mandelson has previously described the publication of his correspondence as ‘very embarrassing’.
He said he felt a ‘tremendous sense of regret’ over his friendship with Epstein and a ‘tremendous sense of sympathy’ for his victims.
But he also said the letters and emails were written ‘over 20 years ago’ and claimed he was ‘taken in’ by a ‘charismatic criminal liar’.
Yesterday evening in a letter to staff at the British embassy in Washington he said being ambassador was a ‘privilege’.
He wrote: ‘The circumstances surrounding the announcement today are ones which I deeply regret. I continue to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein 20 years ago and the plight of his victims.
‘I have no alternative to accepting the Prime Minister’s decision and will leave a position in which I have been so incredibly honoured to serve.’
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