<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Documents released on Wednesday by the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/uk" rel="" target="" title="British"><span>British</span></a><span> government show officials believed there was a "reputational risk" to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/peter-mandelson-arrested-uk-police-arrest-former-ambassador-to-us-in-probe-into-jeffrey-epstein-ties/dc454717-b369-4183-a7e4-6cd2bbcba1cc" rel="" target="" title="appointing Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador"><span>appointing Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador</span></a><span> because of his relationship with convicted sex offender </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/jeffrey-epstein" rel="" target="" title="Jeffrey Epstein"><span>Jeffrey Epstein</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prime Minister </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/keir-starmer" rel="" target="" title="Keir Starmer"><span>Keir Starmer</span></a><span> gave Mandelson the job anyway, only to fire him nine months later when new details of the relationship with Epstein emerged. Starmer now faces a political storm over the decision.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Concerns were raised in a document sent to Starmer in December 2024 when he was considering appointing Mandelson, seen as vital to establishing a good relationship with the administration of US President Donald Trump.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/petrol-prices-international-energy-agency-agrees-to-record-release-of-emergency-oil-reserves/80752f03-7fe5-4db8-82a6-933452ae3da0"><strong><span>Record release of emergency oil reserves in an effort to calm surging petrol prices</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Advice to the prime minister from the head of the civil service summarised Mandelson's relationship with Epstein over two decades, noting that "Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein's house while he was in jail in June 2009" for sexual offenses involving a minor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It also spelled out other, unrelated reputational issues over Mandelson's work in a previous Labour government — when he twice had to resign over financial matters — and his work at Global Counsel, a lobbying firm he co-founded.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lawmakers have forced Starmer's government to disclose thousands of files about the decision to name Mandelson to the key diplomatic post at the start of Trump's second term.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/peter-mandelson-files-documents-released-by-uk-government/7d796170-053c-43b5-a9b6-ed3f766968a1" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities published the first batch — more than 140 pages of documents — related to those ties on the government website on Wednesday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, said the due diligence on Mandelson "did not expose the depth and extent" of his friendship with Epstein, and said Mandelson lied to Starmer about the friendship.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Peter Mandelson should never have been afforded the privilege of representing this country," Jones told lawmakers in the House of Commons. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I reiterate for the House that the prime minister deeply regrets taking him at his word. It was a mistake to do so."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The documents are being published in batches after review by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee. Police have asked the government not to release files that could compromise their criminal investigation into Mandelson.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The documents published on Wednesday note that Epstein was asked questions about his relationship with Epstein, and say the prime minister's communications director was "satisfied with his responses."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The responses themselves have not been published because of the police probe.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mandelson, 72, a former Cabinet minister, ambassador and elder statesman of the governing Labour Party, was arrested February 23 at his London home on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has been released without bail conditions as the police investigation continues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has previously denied wrongdoing and hasn't been charged. He does not face allegations of sexual misconduct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Starmer fired Mandelson in September after an earlier release of documents showed he had maintained contact with Epstein after the financier's 2008 conviction for sexual offenses involving a minor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Further details about Mandelson's ties with Epstein, revealed in a huge trove of files published by the US Department of Justice in January, drove opponents and even some members of Starmer's Labour Party to call for the prime minister's resignation. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Starmer survived the immediate danger, but his position remains fragile, even though he never met Epstein and is not implicated in his crimes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Epstein files suggest that Mandelson sent market-sensitive information to the convicted sex offender when he was the UK government's business secretary after the 2008 financial crisis. That includes an internal government report discussing ways the UK could raise money, including by selling off government assets.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mandelson also appears to have told Epstein he would lobby other members of the government to reduce a tax on bankers' bonuses.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Starmer has apologised to Epstein's victims and said he was sorry for "having believed Mandelson's lies".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mandelson is also facing a separate probe by the European Union's anti-fraud office for the time he spent as the bloc's trade representative.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>