Peter Mandelson

Peter Mandelson reached Washington after a career in Labour politics, government, and European trade policy. He directed Labour's campaigns and communications from 1985 to 1990, represented Hartlepool in Parliament from 1992 to 2004, and served as Northern Ireland secretary. He was European commissioner for trade from 2004 to 2008, then returned to Gordon Brown's government as first secretary of state and business secretary. ¹

His ambassadorship lasted from 10 February to 11 September 2025. The government withdrew him after additional emails concerning his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein became public. The Foreign Office said the correspondence showed a materially different relationship from the one understood when he was appointed, including Mandelson's suggestion that Epstein's first conviction should be challenged. ²