Free thinking. Straight talking. Explore more opinion from the nation’s leading comment writers. |  | Connor Stringer Washington Correspondent | Lord Mandelson has quit Labour. In a statement late last night, he said he did not wish to “cause further embarrassment” to the party over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
It is quite the departure for the man once known as the Prince of Darkness. Just months ago, he was entertaining Washington’s elite at the sprawling ambassador’s residence as Britain’s representative to America.
Now he faces being hauled before Congress as a disgraced diplomat to explain his links to Epstein. Sources close to the House oversight committee, which has spearheaded the release of millions of government-held files on the convicted paedophile, say it will demand the former Labour peer testify in Washington.
They believe Lord Mandelson, who was sacked as British Ambassador to the United States in September, may have crucial information about co-conspirators and enablers of Epstein’s crimes.
The latest revelations include that Epstein gave Lord Mandelson $50,000 (£36,500) in 2004, and sent Reinaldo Avila da Silva, the peer’s husband, £10,000 to fund an osteopathy course in 2009.
In an exchange three months after the final transaction, when Lord Mandelson was business secretary, he said he was “trying hard” to change Labour’s policy on bankers’ bonuses following requests from Epstein.
Images also show Lord Mandelson in his underwear next to a woman in a white dressing gown.  | | A picture from the Epstein files shows Lord Mandelson in his underwear | Following the latest revelations, The Telegraph understands Lord Mandelson will not return to the House of Lords.
Now, after his resignation, all that remains to be seen is whether he will comply with Congress’s demands and reveal what he knows about the late paedophile.
Read the full story here ➤
Epstein’s links to Putin and Kremlin spies raise fears he was Russian agent ➤
Andrew pulled strings so Epstein could use RAF bases for private jet ➤ | | Tim Stanley Clashes in the US state are a warning to other Western governments about the politics of deportations Continue reading ➤ Jane Shilling Kent is in vogue with Madonna, and it’s not hard to see why Continue reading ➤ Charlie Brooks Let’s force a U-turn on Labour’s trail-hunting ban Continue reading ➤ | | Carol Vorderman has little interest in softening her edges with age. She reflects on being sacked by the BBC (twice), turns her fire on Nigel Farage and explains why midlife has only sharpened her political instincts. Britain’s most famous maths whizz is now just as comfortable wielding words as she is with numbers, especially when she believes the stakes are high. Continue reading ➤ | | | Giorgia Meloni and Friedrich Merz have seized the steering wheel of Europe and pushed France’s Emmanuel Macron firmly into the back seat. The fiery “post fascist” and the old-school Christian democrat make an odd couple but they, and Italy and Germany, have more in common than you might think. In this analysis, the first of a three-part series on Meloni’s Italy, we explain how she and Merz plan to ensure Europe’s future is conservative. Continue reading ➤ | | | A father, a teenage daughter and a 35-year-old Volkswagen Polo: a reminder that learning to drive doesn’t have to mean debt or dashboards full of tech. The vehicle, rehomed from a patient at his dental practice, gave Brett Flavell a dose of nostalgia and unexpectedly strengthened his bond with Erica, his 17-year-old daughter. Continue reading ➤ | | | Over six weeks, our award-winning newsletter, How to Become a Millionaire, sets out realistic ways anyone can reach that seven-figure milestone. Starting with savvy ways to tackle your budget, it uses actionable advice to put that money to work, paving your way to wealth using an Isa, a property or a pension. Don’t believe it can be done? Telegraph reader Jane Perry knew nothing about investing when she began buying shares. Now, some 40 years later, her Isa is worth millions. That could be you. Sign up today ➤ | | | They are fabulously wealthy and have a taste for the high life, from sleek supercars to private members’ clubs. They are also subject to the sobering statistical probability that half of all marriages end in divorce. As legions of the ultra-rich flee Britain and head to flat-tax Italy, that’s where Ayesha Vardag comes in. Dubbed the “diva of divorce lawyers”, she has just set up a new practice in Milan. She tells Nick Squires why Britain’s loss is Italy’s gain. Continue reading ➤ | | | Most of us might react to a stage-4 cancer diagnosis with fear and deep melancholy. Not so for Andre Ricciardi. After ignoring a routine colonoscopy and getting the worst news, he turned his final years into a riotous, unsparing film about how to make the most of life. Andre may have been, as he says “an idiot” but as his closest family and friends tell Guy Kelly, his gonzo approach to dying creates laughter as well as tears and might well save many lives. Continue reading ➤ | | | Some people love to hate Center Parcs, but for others they’re often places to return to again and again. Criss-crossing the country on visits to all of them, Amanda Hyde discovered that not all Center Parcs were made equal. Her verdict uncovers the good, the bad and the ugly. Continue reading ➤ Below are two more articles that I hope will improve your day: - For years, property flipping has been a source of relatively easy money. Such investments now require a carefully timed and well-budgeted strategy – this is how you can still make a profit.
- Andrea Epstein has accepted that her high-heel days are behind her. She shares what she’ll wear instead to marry flat with flair.
| Caption competition with... |  | Matt Pritchett Cartoonist | Hello,
For today’s caption contest, we have a rain-soaked passer-by speaking to people building a sandbag wall. I’m excited to hear your thoughts.
It was very difficult to choose a winner this week. I’d like to shout out John and Nick for their admirable submissions. The former suggested: “And which mother in law wants the first dance”, a lovely Posh and Becks reference, and the latter went with “May I call you Nigel and Suella” after the pair were photographed cosying up when Suella defected.
In the end, I found this one to be so silly it really made me laugh. Congratulations, Paul! P.S. For an inside look at what inspires my weekly cartoons, you can sign up for my personal subscriber-exclusive newsletter here. | Fish and tips Every weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal reader correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes...
I love fish and chips, but growing up in Cornwall spoiled me. Although London, where I live now, has plenty going for it, I have found that really excellent chippies are few and far between. (All tips welcome.)
Then, of course, there’s the price. How did a simple, deep-fried pleasure end up costing so much, before you’ve even factored in tartare sauce and mushy peas?
Help is at hand. The Telegraph’s Silvana Franco has explained how to make perfect fish and chips at home, and it’s firmly on my to do list. Readers have been sharing their own methods, too.
First, there was the question of which fish to use. Tim Diggle wrote: “I prefer to buy really good-quality fish (hake, cod, plaice or lemon sole) from our local fishmonger, then shallow fry it briefly in rapeseed oil, with just a light dusting of flour. Why spoil it with a coating of batter?”
John Mulvany added: “I sometimes get pollock or coley spearfishing, but these are not nearly as good as the more earthy cod.”
As for the chips, Robin Bowman argued: “The potato has to be Sagitta. It is only really found in large sacks in farm shops and at wholesalers, but cooking with it is a revelation – as many chip shop owners know.”
Helen Walshe was another reader (understandably) averse to labouring over a vat of boiling oil: “Don’t overlook the conventional oven. Pretty decent oven chips can be made at home: cut the potatoes up, boil them for about five mins, drain, toss in a little oil and spread out on a heated baking tray. Bake at around 190C until golden. After about 10 minutes, sample one to see how they’re going.” Do you make your own fish and chips? Send me your thoughts here and the best of the bunch will feature in a future edition of From the Editor PM, to which you can sign up here.
Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name. | | Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was TEARFULLY. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. | | Please let me know what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback here.
Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor | |
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