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Sir Tony Blair met financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2002, the newly released Mandelson files show. Sir Tony, who was prime minister at the time, was told that Epstein was close to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, “very rich”, and friends with both Bill Clinton and Peter Mandelson.

The meeting took place before Epstein was convicted of sex offences after pleading guilty in 2008 to procuring a child for prostitution. A memo to Sir Tony dated May 14, 2002 from civil servant Matthew Rycroft said: “Pete says that Epstein now travels with Clinton, and Clinton wants you to meet him.”

Documents released on Wednesday also show that the due diligence report that went to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer flagged that Lord Mandelson maintained ties to Jeffrey Epstein after the financier was convicted of procuring an under-age girl.

The peer also stayed at Epstein’s house while the businessman was imprisoned.

In a section entitled Relationship With Jeffrey Epstein, the report said: “A 2019 report commissioned by JP Morgan found that Epstein appeared to ‘maintain a particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew the Duke of York and Lord Peter Mandelson, a senior member of the British government’.

“The report cited Epstein’s personal records, which showed contact beginning in 2002 and continuing throughout the 2000s.

“After Epstein was first convicted of procuring an under-age girl in 2008, their relationship continued across 2009-2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government. Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein’s House while he was in jail in June 2009.

“In 2014, Mandelson also agreed to be a ‘founding citizen’ of an ocean conservation group founded by Ghislaine Maxwell and funded by Epstein.

“On reporting of the JP Morgan report, Lord Mandelson’s spokesperson said: ‘Lord Mandelson very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein. This connection has been a matter of public record for some time. He never had any kind of professional or business relationship with Epstein in any form.’”

The report also pointed to a 2024 Telegraph report on the pair’s links.

It also said: “The Cabinet Office holds official records that are likely to be released by the National Archives early next year, which relate to a Tony Blair meeting with Epstein that was facilitated by Mandelson.” The due diligence report concluded: “To note – general reputational risk.”

Former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should be held to account “not just for reports of sharing state secrets, but also for trafficking and sexual abuse of women and girls”, the chairwoman of the Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee has said.

Labour MP Sarah Owen (Luton North) said: “It’s sad, but it’s true that International Women’s Day rings hollow for far too many women, but particularly the three brave women that I have just met. They are survivors of Epstein. For them, important days like that come and go.

“But what is the minister doing to ensure that we don’t just mark important days for women and girls, but give them the protection and justice they deserve, and to hold perpetrators like Andrew Mountbatten to account, not just for reports of sharing state secrets, but also for trafficking and sexual abuse of women and girls?”

Equalities minister Seema Malhotra said the focus must be on the victims and “putting in place support for women and girls who have faced horrendous violence”.

“Multiple police forces are now assessing allegations arising from the Epstein files.

“The National Police Chiefs’ Council has established a national co-ordination group and has now appointed a senior investigator to support forces in reviewing the extensive material and progressing the resulting investigations.”

She said the senior investigator is working “to ensure a consistent and evidence-led approach”.