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Saturday, Feb 07, 2026
WashingTone
Epstein Files Trigger Transatlantic Political Crisis as Westminster Implodes and Washington Maintains an Uneasy Silence
Revelations in newly released Epstein documents deepen political turmoil in the UK while the United States remains notably restrained in response
A cascade of revelations from recently released court documents linked to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has ignited a profound political crisis in the United Kingdom, exposing ties between powerful figures and triggering investigations that have shaken Westminster.
At the centre of the storm is Lord Peter Mandelson, a veteran British politician whose communications with Epstein appear to include forwarding confidential government information when he served as business secretary during the global financial crisis; police in London have searched properties connected to him as part of a formal probe into alleged misconduct in public office.
This week Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer publicly apologised to victims of Epstein for appointing Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington in 2024 despite known links between the former cabinet minister and Epstein, a decision now widely criticised across the political spectrum and fuelling opposition calls for his resignation amid intense internal pressure.
Starmer has committed to releasing related documents to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee, although some material may be withheld on national security grounds as the criminal inquiry advances.
The scandal has revived broader questions about accountability and elite networks, reviving scrutiny of other high-profile figures, including former Prince Andrew, whose royal titles were stripped last year amid earlier disclosures and who continues to face pressure to testify before investigators in the United States about his connections to Epstein.
In contrast to the turbulent political reaction in the UK, Washington’s public posture has been comparatively muted, with no major federal political institution in the United States initiating new action in response to the latest tranche of Epstein files.
This divergence has underscored different political cultures and accountability mechanisms on either side of the Atlantic, even as the underlying revelations continue to unsettle institutions and fuel debate about transparency and ethical standards in public life.
At the centre of the storm is Lord Peter Mandelson, a veteran British politician whose communications with Epstein appear to include forwarding confidential government information when he served as business secretary during the global financial crisis; police in London have searched properties connected to him as part of a formal probe into alleged misconduct in public office.
This week Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer publicly apologised to victims of Epstein for appointing Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington in 2024 despite known links between the former cabinet minister and Epstein, a decision now widely criticised across the political spectrum and fuelling opposition calls for his resignation amid intense internal pressure.
Starmer has committed to releasing related documents to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee, although some material may be withheld on national security grounds as the criminal inquiry advances.
The scandal has revived broader questions about accountability and elite networks, reviving scrutiny of other high-profile figures, including former Prince Andrew, whose royal titles were stripped last year amid earlier disclosures and who continues to face pressure to testify before investigators in the United States about his connections to Epstein.
In contrast to the turbulent political reaction in the UK, Washington’s public posture has been comparatively muted, with no major federal political institution in the United States initiating new action in response to the latest tranche of Epstein files.
This divergence has underscored different political cultures and accountability mechanisms on either side of the Atlantic, even as the underlying revelations continue to unsettle institutions and fuel debate about transparency and ethical standards in public life.
