Peter Mandelson

**Peter Benjamin Mandelson** (born 21 October 1953) is a British politician. Until 2026, he represented the Labour Party. He helped to found the 'New Labour' project with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 until 2004.

His reputation led to him earning the nickname the "Prince of Darkness". He is often credited for driving the Labour Party to power in 1997.

During his parliamentary career, Mandelson was sacked twice. Once in 1998 for not declaring a loan he was given to buy a house, and again in 2001 for trying to arrange a passport for an Indian businessman who had given £1,000,000 to the Labour Party.

After Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, he made Mandelson a Life Peer. Despite his career being rocked by scandal, many outlets continued to call him "the most powerful man in the Labour Party".

In February 2025, he became the British Ambassador to the United States.

He was then fired for the third time in his political career by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in September 2025, following _The Sun_<nowiki/>'<nowiki/>s publication of supportive emails Mandelson had sent to convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein after his arrest in 2008.

Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party in February 2026 as further links between himself and Epstein emerged. On 23 February 2026, Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was released on bail.

Mandelson is gay and was outed in 1998 by openly gay journalist Matthew Parris.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **honorific-prefix**: His Excellency The Right Honourable
- **name**: The Lord Mandelson
- **image**: File:Mandelson at the FCDO 2025-02-08-10-17-B.jpg
- **caption**: Mandelson in 2025
- **office**: British Ambassador to the United States
- **monarch**: Charles III
- **president**: Donald Trump
- **primeminister**: Sir Keir Starmer
- **term start**: 10 February 2025
- **term end**: 11 September 2025
- **predecessor**: Dame Karen Pierce
- **successor**: James Roscoe (diplomat), James Roscoe _(acting)_
- **office1**: First Secretary of State
- **primeminister1**: Gordon Brown
- **term start1**: 5 June 2009
- **term end1**: 11 May 2010
- **predecessor1**: John Prescott
- **successor1**: William Hague
- **office2**: Lord President of the Council
- **primeminister2**: Gordon Brown
- **term start2**: 5 June 2009
- **term end2**: 11 May 2010
- **predecessor2**: Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
- **successor2**: Sir Nick Clegg
- **office3**: Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Secretary of State
for Business, Innovation and Skills
President of the Board of Trade
- **primeminister3**: Gordon Brown
- **term start3**: 3 October 2008
- **term end3**: 11 May 2010
- **predecessor3**: John Hutton, Baron Hutton of Furness, John Hutton
- **successor3**: Vince Cable
- **primeminister4**: Tony Blair
- **term start4**: 27 July 1998
- **term end4**: 23 December 1998
- **predecessor4**: Margaret Beckett
- **successor4**: Stephen Byers
- **office5**: European Commissioner for Trade
- **president5**: José Manuel Barroso
- **term start5**: 22 November 2004
- **term end5**: 3 October 2008
- **predecessor5**: Pascal Lamy
- **successor5**: Catherine Ashton
- **office6**: Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- **primeminister6**: Tony Blair
- **term start6**: 11 October 1999
- **term end6**: 24 January 2001
- **predecessor6**: Mo Mowlam
- **successor6**: John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, John Reid
- **office7**: Minister without portfolio (United Kingdom), Minister without Portfolio
- **primeminister7**: Tony Blair
- **term start7**: 2 May 1997
- **term end7**: 27 July 1998
- **predecessor7**: Brian Mawhinney
- **successor7**: Charles Clarke
- **office8**: Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
- **term start8**: 13 October 2008
Life Peer
- **parliament9**: United Kingdom
- **constituency mp9**: Hartlepool
- **term start9**: 9 April 1992
- **term end9**: 8 September 2004
- **predecessor9**: Ted Leadbitter
- **successor9**: Iain Wright
- **birth name**: Peter Benjamin Mandelson
- **birth place**: Hendon, Middlesex, England
- **signature**: Signature of Peter Mandelson.png
- **party**: Independent (since 2026)
- **education**: Hendon School, Hendon County Grammar School
- **alma mater**: St Catherine's College, Oxford
- **relatives**: Lord Morrison of Lambeth (grandfather)
- **nickname**: Prince of Darkness
- **otherparty**: Labour Party (UK), Labour (until 2026)