Difference between revisions of "Peter Mandelson"

Revision as of 15:17, 4 February 2026

Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson of Foy (born 1953) is a disgraced Labour Party politician. He was MP for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, and served in a number of Cabinet positions.

In 1998 he resigned from the cabinet having failed to declare a loan in the register of members; interests, but less than a year later he was back in the cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In 2001, he resigned from the Government for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.

From 2004 to 2008 he was a European Commissioner. In 2008 he returned to the government and was appointed a life peer.

Personal life

In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when Matthew Parris gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of The Times) mentioned during a live interview on Newsnight, in the wake of the resignation of Ron Davies, that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".^[1]

In 2000, Mandelson publicly recognised his relationship with long-time partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together.^[2] Da Silva is Brazilian born but was naturalised as a British citizen around the end of August 2005.^[3]

Peter Mandelson was ranked 52 in the Pink List 2010, and 75 in the Pink List 2011, Mandelson was briefly UK ambassador to the USA before links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein led to his being removed from that post in 2025. In February 2026 Police were reviewing reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In February 2026 BBC released information from the Epstein enquiry showing Peter Mandelson exchanged explicit emails about "strippers" with Jeffery Epstein on the day the convicted child sex offender was released from jail, in July 2009. ^[4] In the House of Commons on 4 February 2026 Keir Starmer told MPs during Prime Minister's Questions that Peter Mandelson had "betrayed our country" after "lying repeatedly" about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein ^[5].

References

1. ↑ The Mirror 28 October 1998 "Mandelson is gay, says former MP"
2. ↑ Martin Smith, The Mail on Sunday 23 April 2000 "The Graduate; So here's to you Mr Mandelson, as the Ulster Secretary and his partner go public..." quote: "It could hardly have been a more public statement of their friendship. Peter Mandelson, 46, and his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, 28, were among the audience at the Gielgud Theatre to watch the West End stage adaptation of the Sixties film classic The Graduate... Reinaldo now shares the Minister's London home in Notting Hill. Recently, neighbours have noticed them shopping together for scented candles and incense and supervising the extensive renovation of the home Mr Mandelson bought for nearly 250,000 pounds last year."
3. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-361471/Mandelsons-British-boyfriend.html Nick Craven "Mandelson's British boyfriend" Daily Mail 6 September 2005
4. ↑ "Free and home," Epstein emails Lord Mandelson at 08.37am on 22 July (2009), as he left a Florida prison following an 18-month sentence for soliciting sex with a minor. "How shall we celebrate?" writes back Mandelson, who was then business secretary under Gordon Brown. "With grace and modesty (those are the names of two strippers)," Epstein replies. "From now on, grace and modesty sd [should] be discovered in London," Mandelson appears to joke back a few hours later, before adding: "How is freedom feeling?" "She feels fresh, firm and creamy," Epstein says. Mandelson responds with two words: "Naughty boy."
5. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/czx3lq460n6t BBC Mandelson lied repeatedly about Epstein, says PM as he confirms vetting flagged 'ongoing' relationship