Mandelson 'stupid, irresponsible and reckless' says Wes Streeting, as he rejects claim scandal will 'bring down Starmer'
The Health Secretary rejected claims the Mandelson scandal could bring down the Government.
Peter Mandelson “betrayed his country, two Prime Ministers and the victims of Jeffrey Epstein,” by seemingly leaking confidential government information to paedophile banker Jeffrey Epstein, Wes Streeting has told LBC.
Listen to this article
Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari, the Health Secretary branded the former Labour peer “stupid, irresponsible and reckless” after it emerged he was seemingly sending Epstein confidential market information at the peak of the 2008 financial crash.
It comes after the Met launched a criminal investigation into Mandelson in the wake of Sir Keir Starmer handing over a dossier of evidence against the former US ambassador to police.
Defending Sir Keir’s decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite his connections to Epstein being public, Mr Streeting insisted there “was vetting” before Number 10 made the decision.
“But what we've seen in not just recent days, with the latest tranche of files, but in recent months, is evidence of a shocking betrayal of two Prime Ministers of our country and our national interest, and also of Epstein's victims through Peter Mandelson's continued association and friendship with him after his conviction,” Mr Streeting said.
“I don't need a copy of the Ministerial Code in front of me and I don't need a copy of the Law of the Land in front of me to know that what Peter Mandelson did was outrageous.
“Passing sensitive government information to outsiders, including market-sensitive information, is so obviously stupid and irresponsible and reckless that most of us cannot get our head around how he would have ever shown such misjudgment.”
When pressed on why Sir Keir would appoint Mandelson despite warnings over his character, the Health Secretary added: “Well, in defence of the Prime Minister, Peter Mandelson was appointed as US Ambassador because of his experience as this country's Business Secretary, his experience as an EU Trade Commissioner in both roles, including by political opponents, he was praised for his conduct in those jobs.”
Mr Streeting rejected the suggestion that this scandal will be the one to bring down Sir Keir’s government, saying that would “let Mandelson off the hook.”
“This is his misjudgment, his misconduct, his irresponsibility,” he said.
“Those are things which I think are unquestionably true.
“Having seen it in black and white, there can be no justification for his actions. Whether or not it meets a criminal threshold is for the police to decide. But regardless of that, people up and down the country have been horrified by what they see.
“And that sense of betrayal is felt deeply in the Labour Party because we also feel it is a betrayal of our values. And people who knew Peter Mandelson, and I put that deliberately in past tense. People who knew Peter Mandelson are shocked by this.
"It just sort of says that, people who knew Peter Mandelson really didn't know him at all because no one would have expected this kind of action or behaviour from him.”
Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake has questioned the prime minister's judgment in appointing Mandelson.
He told LBC News: "The revelations about Peter Mandelson are shocking - but what is also shocking is the fact that Keir Starmer appointed him in the first place. It speaks everything about his judgement."
"Keir Starmer's judgement is shocking. He is so weak. He has no backbone. He has no place being the leader of this country," he added.
It comes after the Met announced it has launched a criminal investigation into the former Labour peer.
Met Police Commander Ella Marriott said: "Following the further release of millions of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice, the Met received a number of reports into alleged misconduct in public office including a referral from the UK government.
"I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former government minister, for misconduct in public office offences.
"The Met will continue to assess all relevant information brought to our attention as part of this investigation and won't be commenting any further at this time."