Why did Sir Keir supply shut pal of Peter Mandelson a peerage?

Keir Starmer offered a peerage to a close associate of Peter Mandelson who has quit his job following revelations in the Epstein files.

Labour sources said the Prime Minister offered to put Ben Wegg-Prosser in the House of Lords when he was trying to recruit him as a minister after the election in 2024.

Mr Wegg-Prosser has been a close associate of Mandelson for decades, serving as his special adviser in Tony Blair‘s government before becoming Sir Tony’s director of strategic communications in No 10.

After leaving government, he co-founded lobbying firm Global Counsel with Mandelson. 

Last week he resigned from the firm, which has been dropped by several clients following revelations that the two men had sought advice from Epstein about the creation of the company in 2010, just months after his release from prison for child-sex offences.

Emails published by the US Department of Justice revealed why Mr Wegg-Prosser travelled to New York to see Epstein in March 2010, when the paedophile financier was under house arrest.

In a message ahead of the meeting, Mandelson told Epstein: ‘Ben is coming to NYC to meet you and explain the business plan.’ 

In a follow-up message he added: ‘Be nice to Ben. He is a very able organiser of life and its opportunities. And he watches my back big time.’ 

Keir Starmer offered a peerage to a close associate of Peter Mandelson who has quit his job following revelations in the Epstein files

Ben Wegg-Prosser has been a close associate of Mandelson for decades, serving as his special adviser in Tony Blair’s government before becoming Sir Tony’s director of strategic communications in No 10

After the meeting, Epstein said: ‘Ben is media sensitive, good communication instincts. He’s young and unaware of his limitations (my first concern). Has feeble business acumen.’

He told Mandelson that Mr Wegg-Prosser could help run the firm but said ‘you need to decide the program’. 

He added: ‘It’s time to turn that substantial mind on helping yourself.’

Mr Wegg-Prosser appearing in Epstein’s calendar was first revealed by The Mail on Sunday in 2023, more than a year before Sir Keir made his offer. 

There is no suggestion that Mr Wegg-Prosser was aware of Epstein’s crimes and he did not respond to requests for comment.

But, in 2023, he told the MoS: ‘I had the misfortune to meet Epstein on one occasion.

‘It was a short meeting of no consequence and thankfully was never to be repeated.’

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said last night: ‘The Prime Minister’s willingness to grant a gong and a government role to an associate of Epstein raises further concerns about his judgment.

‘As Kemi Badenoch keeps arguing, people deserve to know what due diligence was done and why standards have slipped so badly.’

Downing Street was also asked to comment but did not respond.