EU launches urgent Mandelson probe – £31k pension could be axed | World | News
Ursula von der Leyen‘s European Commission is probing Peter Mandelson‘s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, potentially paving the way for the former cabinet minister to be stripped of his £31,000-a-year EU pension. The investigation centres on newly released US court documents exposing Mandelson‘s communications with Epstein, including market-sensitive information shared during his tenure as UK business secretary in 2009. Mandelson also served as a European Commissioner from 2004 to 2008.
An EC spokesperson confirmed the review, stating: “Peter Mandelson became member of the Barroso I Commission in November 2004 and left his position as Commissioner for Trade in October 2008. In this context, members of the College are subject to obligations arising directly from the Treaties, and to ethical obligations emanating from the Code of Conduct.
“Whenever there is any indication of a possible breach of the obligations under the CoC, the Commission assesses possible breaches and takes action on that basis, if necessary. Therefore, and as new documents were published in the past days, we are looking into these and assessing whether there is any breach of the obligations.”
The inquiry invokes Article 245 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which empowers the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to strip former commissioners of their pensions for failing to uphold “integrity and discretion”. Breaches could trigger the so-called “nuclear option”, thereby forfeiting Mandelson’s accrued entitlement during his 2004-2008 stint as EU trade commissioner.
UK taxpayers remain liable for 12-13% of such pensions under Article 142 of the 2020 Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, with payments drawn automatically from the Consolidated Fund without parliamentary scrutiny.
The Treasury’s latest EU Finances Statement pegs Britain’s outstanding pension commitments at £7.1 billion, part of a £30.7 billion Brexit settlement. Cumulative payouts have already reached £0.7 billion by end-2024, with projections extending to 2064 for the longest-lived beneficiaries.
Mandelson, who has in the past been dubbed the “Prince of Darkness” for his political machinations, has faced a spectacular downfall. He resigned from the House of Lords, the Labour Party, and the Privy Council following the Epstein revelations.
Emails depict him relaying details of a €500 billion EU bailout and UK asset sales to Epstein, alongside efforts to secure a Russian visa for the paedophile via oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Mandelson insists his actions were in the national interest and denies wrongdoing.
The scandal has engulfed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who appointed Mandelson as US ambassador last year despite warnings about his Epstein links.
Sir Keir admitted in a Thursday speech that he believed Mandelson’s “lies” about the relationship’s depth, apologising to victims while vowing to stay on. Labour grandee Baroness Harriet Harman branded the PM “weak and naive”, urging a No 10 reset.
Backbench fury, led by figures including Angela Rayner and John McDonnell, has sparked leadership speculation.
Ms Rayner, ousted from Government over a stamp duty row, reportedly told allies she’s “ready” to throw her hat into the ring, though her spokesperson dismissed the claims.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch demanded full disclosure, as the Metropolitan Police probes potential criminality, delaying the release of vetting files to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.
Epstein survivor Ashley Rubright has hailed the ongoing investigations as vindication. Mandelson’s camp insists there has been no criminality or personal gain, but the EC’s swift action represents another serious headache for the 72-year-old.
