The Government today recommitted to introducing laws to strip Peter Mandelson of his peerage – but not until MPs have enjoyed their half-term break.
Following fresh revelations about his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Lord Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords at the beginning of this month.
But the ex-Cabinet minister is still allowed to use his ‘Lord’ title until legislation is passed to formally remove it from him – something Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to do.
In the House of Commons on Thursday, Cabinet Office minister Chris Ward told MPs the Government would bring forward the legislation ‘as soon as possible’.
He added this would happen after MPs have returned from their 10-day recess on 23 February.
‘On the legislation to strip Lord Mandelson of his peerage – and broader reform of the process for the House of Lords and removal – that will come forward as soon as possible,’ Mr Ward said.
‘It will be in Government time, as I committed to last week, and we will bring that forward after the recess.’
As well as vowing to formally strip Lord Mandelson of his peerage, the Prime Minister has ousted the shamed ex-minister from the Privy Counsel.
The Government today recommitted to introducing laws to strip Peter Mandelson of his peerage – but not until MPs have enjoyed their half-term break
A photograph released as part of the Epstein files apparently shows Lord Mandelson talking to a woman who is wearing a white bath robe
Sir Keir acted after the publication of further details about Lord Mandelson’s links to Epstein rocked his premiership.
New documents released in the US prompted fresh anger at the PM’s decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US in February last year.
Sir Keir last week said he was ‘sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies’ and for having named him as the UK’s top diplomat in Washington DC.
The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation following allegations that Lord Mandelson sent market-sensitive information to Epstein while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government during the financial crisis.
Scotland Yard has said its probe into Lord Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office would ‘take some time’ after officers finished searching his homes in London and Wiltshire.
Lord Mandelson has denied the so-called ‘Epstein files’ show he broke any laws or acted for personal gain. He has repeatedly said he regrets his friendship with Epstein.
The Government has promised to publish material relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador.
But, earlier this week, Lord Beamish – the chairman of Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee – revealed ministers had yet to release any papers for his committee to decide which can be made public.
He said: ‘The Committee has requested that those papers relating to the vetting and appointment of Lord Mandelson are prioritised for release to the Committee.’
