Lord Peter Mandelson is set to lose the Freedom of Hartlepool award following his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision was made by councillors who unanimously voted to revoke the honor. Mandelson, who served as Hartlepool’s MP from 1992 to 2004, faced the repercussions after leaked messages revealed his support for Epstein following the latter’s guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.
The emails, disclosed by Bloomberg, indicated that Mandelson urged Epstein to seek early release before his 18-month prison sentence. Additionally, he was reported to have expressed admiration for Epstein just before the sex offender commenced his sentence. Lord Mandelson, a key figure in New Labour, had previously lost honors from Manchester Metropolitan University due to the same controversy during his tenure as chancellor from 2016 to 2024.
The motion to strip Mandelson of his honorary title in his former constituency was justified by the revelation of his enduring relationship with Epstein, which persisted even after Epstein’s conviction and until his death in 2019. The council emphasized that such ties were incompatible with the values and dignity associated with the Freedom of the Borough of Hartlepool distinction.
Mandelson, acknowledging the circumstances of his dismissal as the US ambassador, expressed deep regret over his past association with Epstein and the suffering of Epstein’s victims. Failure to rescind the honor was deemed a risk to the town’s reputation, as stated in the motion. Mandelson’s acknowledgment of his regret and the council’s decision reflect the ongoing fallout from his connection to Epstein.