But there is frustration within parliament at Lord Mandelson’s ability to avoid scrutiny, as Sir Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure to sack him as ambassador to the US over his links to the deceased billionaire.
It comes after it emerged the Labour peer – who has said he wishes he’d never met Epstein – had written him a 2003 birthday note in which he described him as his “best pal”.
According to reports in Bloomberg and The Sun, he also sent Epstein messages of support while he was being investigated for sex offences, telling him he was “following you closely and here whenever you need”.
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Sky News has learned that the powerful Foreign Affairs Select Committee of MPs made a request to hear from Lord Mandelson after he was appointed by Sir Keir last year, but this was blocked by the Foreign Office.
Lord Mandelson‘s status as a member of the House of Lords means the committee cannot force him to appear before them. People overseas can also not be compelled to give evidence.
Committees have the power to summon people to give evidence, and find them in contempt of parliament if they do not comply.
Lord Mandelson’s failure to appear adds to the controversy around a lack of government transparency sparked by the decision to not let national security adviser Jonathan Powell give evidence to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.
Conservative MP and FAC member Aphra Brandreth is the only person on the committee to publicly call for Lord Mandelson to give them evidence on the ambassador’s links to Epstein.
Sky News understands that others on the committee are keen for Lord Mandelson to speak to them but have decided to not go public. As the committee make-up mirrors that of parliament, most members are Labour MPs.
Read more on Mandelson:
Starmer backs his ambassador
What was his relationship with Epstein?
The disconnect between his claims and letters to Epstein
Ms Brandreth said in a statement: “At a time of huge instability around the globe, it’s vital that the UK’s ambassador to the US is focused completely on his job
“As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee I would welcome the opportunity to question Lord Mandelson on his ability to carry out his duties to the UK.”
She shared a letter written by fellow Tory MP and former Foreign Affairs Select Committee chair Alicia Kearns.
In the letter, Ms Kearns called on current chair Dame Emily Thornberry to summon Lord Mandelson, question him and put the concerns of MPs to him.
Ms Kearns also wants to know what questions Dame Emily has asked the Foreign Office since the appointment of Lord Mandelson, and to find out “how substantial” Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was.
Ms Kearns told Sky News: “Months and months have passed with no action from the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, instead there has been an unsettling silence from her on all things Mandelson.
“I would have summoned Mandelson long ago, it’s the chair’s duty to get the answers parliament deserves. It’s all too evident Thornberry has long been focused on her next role, not the one she’s been elected and paid to do.”
So far, there has been no response from Dame Emily, who took part in a hustings for her campaign to be the next Labour deputy leader on Wednesday night.
Some MPs on the committee are concerned this race has distracted Dame Emily from her role on the committee, though she looks unlikely to make it into the next round.
In January, Dame Emily raised Lord Mandelson’s appointment with Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty.
She said the appointment was “inspired” – before asking the minister and government to “allow Lord Mandelson the time to come before my Committee before he leaves for the United States”.
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Mr Doughty said: “I am sure that we will consider any request that my right honourable friend makes in due course in the normal way in which we consider requests from her Committee.”
The FCDO has been approached for comment.
