The ghost of Jeffrey Epstein has claimed another high-profile political career. Lord Peter Mandelson, the former UK Business Secretary and architect of New Labour, has resigned from the Labour Party with immediate effect following fresh revelations linking him to the disgraced financier.

The resignation comes in the wake of explosive documents released by the US Department of Justice, which allege that Mandelson received three separate payments totaling $75,000 (approx. KSh 11 million) from Epstein in 2003 and 2004. In a somber letter addressed to Labour General Secretary Hollie Ridley, Mandelson stated he was stepping down to avoid causing "further embarrassment" to the party he has served for decades. The move marks a dramatic fall from grace for a man once considered untouchable in British politics.

The $75,000 Question

The specific allegations are damning. The files suggest a direct financial relationship between the British peer and the convicted sex offender, a claim Mandelson vehemently denies. "I have no record or recollection of these payments," he wrote, calling for an investigation into the "false" allegations. However, the political pressure had become untenable. Mandelson was already on shaky ground, having been sacked as the UK's Ambassador to the US in September 2025 precisely due to his past associations with Epstein.

The timing is catastrophic for the Labour government, which has been trying to distance itself from the scandals of the past. Mandelson’s resignation is an attempt to act as a firebreak, preventing the flames of the Epstein scandal from engulfing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration. Yet, the questions remain: What were the payments for? And how deep do the ties really go?

• The Payments: Three transactions of $25,000 each in 2003 and 2004.
• The Denial: Mandelson claims no knowledge of the money and demands an inquiry.
• The Context: He was already dismissed as US Ambassador last year over the same links.

A Titan Toppled

Lord Mandelson was more than just a politician; he was a titan of the Blairite era, a "Prince of Darkness" who mastered the art of political spin. His exit signifies the final severing of ties between the current Labour leadership and the old guard. For the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, it is another small victory in a long war for accountability, proving that no name is too big to fall when the truth finally surfaces.

As the UK media dissects every word of his resignation letter, the reality is stark: a career built on power and influence has been dismantled by the toxic legacy of a friendship that Mandelson can no longer explain away. The Labour Party moves on, but the stain remains.