Former British ambassador to the United States, Lord Peter Mandelson, has resigned from the Labour Party following fresh controversy over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reports Reuters. The move comes after new documents released by the US Department of Justice suggested that Mandelson may have received financial payments from Epstein, sparking renewed scrutiny and public outrage.According to the documents, Epstein allegedly sent three separate payments between 2003 and 2004, totaling $75,000 (approximately Rs 68.7 lakh), to accounts linked to Mandelson. While the origins and purpose of the payments remain under investigation, the revelations have added to a growing list of high-profile figures connected to the disgraced financier.In addition to the financial links, the latest tranche of the Epstein Files reportedly includes images of Mandelson in his underwear. In a redacted photograph, the former ambassador is seen standing next to a woman whose face is obscured. Mandelson, 72, told the BBC he “cannot place the location or the woman and I cannot think what the circumstances were.”Mandelson’s resignation comes after he was dismissed last year as Britain’s envoy to Washington following earlier revelations about his connections to Epstein. In a letter to the Labour Party, he expressed regret over the renewed attention. “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, and I feel regretful and sorry about this,” Mandelson wrote. He added that he believed the allegations regarding financial payments were false and pledged to investigate them, but said he did not wish to cause “further embarrassment” to the party.“While doing this, I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party,” the letter stated, as reported by multiple news outlets.Mandelson, a key architect of the Labour Party’s electoral success under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, has faced several controversies throughout his political career. In 1998, he resigned as trade minister after questions arose over a loan he received from a fellow minister to purchase a house, amid accusations of a potential conflict of interest. He later returned to government, but a second cabinet stint ended in 2001 when he resigned over an alleged involvement in a passport scandal involving an Indian billionaire, though he was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing.The former European Union trade commissioner has also been on leave from the House of Lords, Britain’s upper parliamentary chamber, amid the ongoing investigations.Mandelson’s links to Epstein first came under intense scrutiny last year when documents released by U.S. lawmakers included a letter in which he referred to Epstein as “my best pal.” This prompted his removal from his ambassadorial role in Washington, highlighting the continuing reputational risks for public figures associated with Epstein.The latest disclosures arrive at a time of heightened focus on Epstein’s network of influential figures. British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, while commenting on other Epstein-linked figures, also called for Britain’s former Prince Andrew to testify before a US congressional committee, following revelations of his associations with the late financier.Mandelson’s resignation underscores the ongoing sensitivity around connections to Epstein and the potential political fallout. Despite his long and influential career in both domestic and international politics, the controversy highlights how past associations with Epstein continue to cast shadows over high-profile figures worldwide.