❓WHAT HAPPENED: Documents reveal that former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair met pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in Downing Street in 2002, following lobbying by Lord Peter Mandelson.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tony Blair, Jeffrey Epstein, Peter Mandelson, former President Bill Clinton, and British civil servant Matthew Rycroft.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The meeting took place on May 14, 2002, at 5:00 PM GMT in Downing Street, London.
💬KEY QUOTE: “As far as he can remember, Mr Blair met with him for less than 30 minutes in Downing Street in 2002, and discussed U.S. and UK politics. He never met or engaged with him subsequently.” – Spokesman for Tony Blair
🎯IMPACT: The release of these documents, previously blocked, sheds new light on Epstein’s political connections.
Former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair met pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s official residence, in May 2002, according to documents released by the United Kingdom’s National Archives. The meeting was arranged following lobbying by Lord Peter Mandelson, who described Epstein as “a friend of mine” and a close associate of former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Emails show that Mandelson, the recently fired British ambassador to the U.S., urged Blair’s chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, to arrange the meeting, describing Epstein as “safe” and someone who had his “finger on the pulse” of global markets. A memo from British civil servant Matthew Rycroft briefed Blair about Epstein, describing him as a “financial adviser to the super-rich” and a friend of Clinton and Mandelson.
Blair’s spokesman states that the meeting lasted less than 30 minutes and focused on U.S. and UK politics, “As far as he can remember, Mr. Blair met with him for less than 30 minutes in Downing Street in 2002, and discussed U.S. and UK politics. He never met or engaged with him subsequently.”
“This was, of course, long before his crimes were known of and his subsequent conviction,” the spokesman insisted. Epstein pleaded guilty on June 30, 2008, to two state charges for soliciting prostitution from a minor and died in 2019 while awaiting trial on further child sex trafficking charges.
The documents reveal that Mandelson told Powell that Clinton wanted to introduce Epstein to Blair, describing him as “young and vibrant” and “an active scientific catalyst/entrepreneur.” Mandelson’s email also noted that Epstein was traveling with Clinton and could adjust his schedule to meet Blair.
The release of these documents, previously withheld over supposed concerns about their impact on UK-U.S. relations, raises further questions about the extent of Epstein’s connections within political circles. Clinton has acknowledged knowing Epstein but denies any knowledge of his criminal activities.
The National Pulse reported earlier this month that Epstein’s banking and investment activities were more extensive than previously known, involving multiple banks and significant transactions with hedge funds. The true extent of Epstein’s investment portfolio and banking ties was revealed after his estate provided Congress with a list of over 20 banks where he held accounts.
Image by Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.