The ghost of Jeffrey Epstein has returned to haunt the corridors of Westminster, provoking a furious government backlash against Lord Peter Mandelson. In a blistering attack, Health Minister Karin Smyth has branded Mandelson’s recent defense of his relationship with the disgraced financier as "shameful" and a stain on British politics.

The condemnation follows an explosive interview in The Times where Mandelson, a key architect of New Labour, dismissed the public outrage over his association with the pedophile billionaire as "disproportionate." His comments, intended to draw a line under the scandal, have instead poured high-octane fuel on the fire. Smyth, speaking on the morning media rounds, did not mince her words. "It is shameful. It does shame politics," she declared, reflecting a growing intolerance within the Labour government for the "old guard" liabilities that threaten to derail Sir Keir Starmer’s administration.

Mandelson’s assertion that "hiding under a rock would be a disproportionate response" has been interpreted as a stunning lack of self-awareness. The peer argued that a "handful of misguided historical emails" should not define his career, but the release of fresh documents suggesting he may have leaked government information to Epstein has shifted the conversation from one of poor judgment to potential misconduct in public office.

The Starmer Dilemma

For Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Mandelson issue is rapidly mutating from a distraction into a crisis. Having campaigned on a platform of integrity and cleaning up politics, Starmer now faces calls to take decisive action against one of his party's most legendary figures.

• The Peerage Question: Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called for a "very short bill" to be passed immediately to strip Mandelson of his peerage, a move that would be unprecedented in modern times.
• Police Involvement: The Metropolitan Police are currently reviewing the newly released files to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted, a development that places the government in a precarious position.
• Party Unity: Mandelson’s resignation from the Labour Party on Sunday was meant to insulate the government, but his subsequent interview has dragged the administration back into the mire.

Harriet Harman, the former Labour deputy leader and a voice of moral authority within the party, has joined the chorus calling for Mandelson’s removal from the Privy Council. The walls are closing in on the former Business Secretary, who once famously declared he was "intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich."

A Legacy in Tatters

The tragedy of Peter Mandelson is Shakespearean. A man of immense intellect and political skill, credited with modernizing the Labour Party, now finds his legacy inextricably linked to a sex trafficker. His attempt to frame the relationship as merely transactional—claiming the emails didn't change the nature of his bond with "this monster"—has fallen flat.

As the scandal deepens, the message from the current Labour frontbench is clear: the era of impunity is over. Mandelson may want to be an "outsider looking in," as he told The Times, but if the current trajectory continues, he may find himself exiled from public life entirely. The government’s priority is survival, and if cutting loose a titan of the past is the price, they appear ready to pay it.