Peter Mandelson, former Labour minister and ambassador, is reeling from the deep crash. This arrest and indictment follows the rising scandal of his financial dealings with pedophile businessman Jeffrey Epstein. Thus Global Counsel has announced that it will sever its relationship with Mandelson. This decision follows his hasty removal as the U.S. ambassador. The political fallout from this needless controversy is in many ways more significant than Trump’s actual political legacy or political ties.
Mandelson’s political career has been marred by controversy since the very first departure from government away in 1998. He stepped down after coming under fire for a £373,000 undisclosed loan from Geoffrey Robinson, to buy himself a London home. Despite this personal loss, he returned to the cabinet as Northern Ireland Secretary. He again resigned in 2001 after it came to light that he had made representations to the Home Office on behalf of the Hinduja brothers.
Following Keir Starmer’s victory in December 2024, Mandelson was appointed UK ambassador to the U.S. This action put him in a place to take a major stand in the international arena. His tenure was short-lived. Recent revelations showed his deeply disturbing pattern of communication with Epstein. He went so far as to call Epstein his “best pal” in emails—a fact that has gotten him fired. Then the picture got worse—a photograph surfaced that showed Mandelson in a white bathrobe next to Epstein, deepening his woes.
In the wake of these revelations, Global Counsel declared that it would sever its relationship with Mandelson. The firm has recently counseled controversial clients including JP Morgan, Barclays, Open AI, Anglo American, Shein, and TikTok. Archie Norman, chair of FTSE 100 retailer Marks & Spencer and vice-chair of Global Counsel, will now navigate the firm’s future direction without Mandelson’s involvement.
Mandelson has already been in the process of divesting his stake in Global Counsel since the start of the year. He agreed in January to begin the process of selling his stake in the 21% per month. The sell-off should come to an end these next couple of months as he continues to separate himself from that fallout.
The impact of this scandal goes far beyond Mandelson’s short-term political future. Beyond the controversy surrounding his ties to Epstein, his ethics and political connections have raised questions over the corruption of power and ethical government. As the public and reporters alike pick apart these historic moves, Mandelson’s political legacy is very much on the line.