Mandelson hides behind ‘grieving family’ clause to secretly demand end to Epstein scrutiny

Disgraced former minister, peer and key Starmer adviser Peter Mandelson has tried to exploit editors’ code clauses usually reserved for grieving families to demand freedom from media scrutiny over his ardent relationship with serial child-rapist Jeffrey Epstein. It hasn’t worked out too well.

Mandelson told a representative to contact mainstream press pseudo-regulator IPSO invoking clauses in its editors’ code intended to protect grieving families and other vulnerable people from harassment by pushy reporters. And he tried to keep it secret, marking it “strictly not for publication”. But it came out anyway, after the National saw the public interest in publishing it. The notice was not sent to Skwawkbox or the Canary, which are properly regulated — and not by IPSO — so there are no issues with publishing it here.

Read IPSO’s communication to ‘mainstream’ editors on Mandelson’s demand in full below:

CONFIDENTIAL – STRICTLY NOT FOR PUBLICATION: Ipso has asked us to circulate the following advisory:

Ipso has today been contacted by a representative acting on behalf of Peter Mandelson.

Mr Mandelson’s representatives state that he does not wish to speak to the media at this time. He requests that the press do not take photos or film, approach, or contact him via phone, email, or in-person. His representatives ask that any requests for his comment are directed to [REDACTED]

We are happy to make editors aware of his request. We note the terms of Clause 2 (Privacy) and 3 (Harassment) of the Editors’ Code, and in particular that Clause 3 states that journalists must not persist in questioning, telephoning, pursuing or photographing individuals once asked to desist, unless justified in the public interest.

Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss any Code issues on [REDACTED] or out of hours on [REDACTED].

If this cowardly ‘hide behind the vulnerable’ tactic looks familiar, it’s because it is. Yesterday, Keir Starmer hid behind Epstein’s victims to avoid disclosing documents showing just how much he knew (lots) about Mandelson’s closeness to Epstein, Mandelson’s insider trading with the paedophile and his leaking of sensitive government information.

Mandelson has mentored both Keir Starmer and Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney. It shows. On Friday, 6 February, Mandelson’s properties were raided by police investigating his actions. If there’s any justice, the same will soon be true of his two proteges.

Featured image via the Canary