It comes after emails appeared to show conversations between the pair about political matters while the former was serving as business secretary, and the de-facto deputy prime minister in 2009, in Gordon Brown's government. Tap here for the latest on the Epstein files The emails prompted calls for police to investigate, while Sir Keir Starmer has urged the former Labour cabinet minister to quit the House of Lords. Lord Mandelson has not responded to the latest allegations. However, in an interview with The Times carried out last week but published on Monday, he referred to a "handful of misguided historical emails, which I deeply regret sending", and described Epstein as "muck that you can't get off your shoe". In the latest tranche of Epstein files released by the US Justice Department, emails appear to show Mandelson giving the paedophile financier advance notice of a €500bn EU bank bailout in 2010. Mandelson was emailed by Epstein, who wrote: "Sources tell me 500 b euro bailout , almost complete (sic)." He then appears to reply: "Sd be announced tonight". Epstein then asks if he is home, to which Mandleson replies: "Just leaving No10... will call". The €500bn deal was approved the next day by European governments as they tried to pull the currency through the 2010 "Eurozone" crisis - where countries such as Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Cyprus were unable to repay or refinance their government debt. The UK did not contribute to the bailout. However, the then-chancellor Alistair Darling was present in Brussels for the negotiations. Other emails appear to show Mandelson telling Epstein he was "trying hard" to change government policy on bankers' bonuses at his request, months after the convicted sex trafficker had paid tens of thousands of pounds to Mandelson's husband. The emails came at the time the so-called "super tax" was being introduced by Mr Darling to clamp down on bank profits being used to pay large bonuses for bankers after the financial crisis. One discussion indicates Lord Mandelson encouraged JP Morgan's boss Jamie Dimon to call Mr Darling and "mildly threaten" him. Separately, the peer also appeared to write to Epstein in June 2009 about an "interesting note that's gone to the PM", forwarding an assessment by Mr Brown's adviser Nick Butler of potential policy measures including an "asset sales plan". Mr Brown condemned the "wholly unacceptable disclosure of government papers and information during the period when the country was battling the global financial crisis", and said he had asked the Cabinet Office to investigate. Meanwhile, the SNP, Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru all called for a formal police inquiry, alleging potential misconduct in public office. On Monday night, Ella Marriott, commander of the Met, said: "The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation. "As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention, we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate." Pressure over peerage Earlier on Monday, Downing Street said that the prime minister has asked Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald - the UK's most senior civil servant - to "urgently" review all available information on contact between the former minister and Epstein. The prime minister's spokesperson also said that Sir Keir believed Mandelson "should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title". However, the government does not have the power to strip him of his peerage, and wants to work with the Lords to modernise disciplinary procedures to make it easier to remove disgraced peers. Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, said the government was writing to the appropriate authorities to start the process today. Sky News has approached representatives for Lord Mandelson for comment on the leaking of sensitive information claims. In a statement about previous allegations, he said: "I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction, and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered." What else have the files revealed? Lord Mandelson was sacked as the ambassador to Washington last year after details emerged of his continued contact with the financier after Epstein's guilty plea in 2008 to soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor. In files released over the weekend, bank statements from 2003 and 2004 appeared to show Lord Mandelson received payments totalling $75,000 (£54,000) from the financier, while he was the MP for Hartlepool. Epstein is also said to have paid for an osteopathy course for Lord Mandelson's husband in 2009. Lord Mandelson resigned his membership of the party on Sunday night. He denied any record or recollection of the payments, but said he did "not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party". The New Labour grandee has also appeared in a picture found in the files wearing only his underwear and a t-shirt, which Sky News has confirmed was taken in Epstein's Paris flat. A spokesperson for Lord Mandelson previously told Sky News: "No one can say who or where the photo was taken. Lord Mandelson has absolutely no idea or indeed whether it has any connection to Epstein at all." Mandelson breaks silence Mandelson has made further comments to The Times newspaper, across two interviews - on 25 January, and on the phone last night. In the interviews, published on Monday, he insisted that he had "no exposure to the criminal aspects of" Epstein's life, and that "none of [the Epstein files] indicate wrongdoing or misdemeanour on my part". He also said that his husband accepting money for an osteopathy course was "clearly a lapse in our collective judgement", but the idea this could have influenced government policy is "risible".

Anti-ICE messages were shared on stage by Billie Eilish, Dean and Bad Bunny while other stars including Justin and Hailey Bieber wore badges - all in opposition to the heightened presence of federal agents particularly in Minneapolis, which has become a flashpoint city. Wiping away tears as she walked to the stage to accept the best new artist award, Dean told the audience: "I guess I want to say I'm up here as the granddaughter of an immigrant... I'm a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated." The 26-year-old has had huge success over the past year following the release of her chart-topping smash hit, Man I Need, and now has one of the "big four" Grammys - which also include song, record and album of the year. Her sentiment was echoed by Eilish, who accepted the award for song of the year, for Wildflower. "No one is illegal on stolen land," Eilish said as she stood on stage alongside her brother and collaborator Finneas. The 24-year-old, whose winning track features on her album Hit Me Hard And Soft, urged people to keep protesting. "It's just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I just, I feel really hopeful in this room, and I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter." Public backlash against the ICE operation, which is part of Donald Trump's mass deportation initiative, has grown since a Border Patrol officer shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti - just weeks after Renee Good was shot dead in her car, less than a mile away. Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny, whose DeBi TiRAR MaS FOtoS became the first Spanish language album to be named album of the year, started his speech for an earlier award with the words, "ICE out". He continued: "We're not savage, we're not animals, we're not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans." For the main prize, he delivered the majority of his speech in Spanish, before saying in English that he wanted to dedicate the award to "all the people that had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams". Kendrick Lamar among artists making Grammys history The night saw Lamar become the most awarded hip-hop artist in Grammys history, with five prizes in total including the final of the "big four" - record of the year, for luther, his song with SZA. Stars including Bieber, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Tyler, The Creator and Sabrina Carpenter gave performances during the show, along with a medley from Dean and her fellow best new artist nominees. Lady Gaga was among the night's winners, taking home the statuettes for best pop vocal album for Mayhem, as well as best dance pop recording and best remixed recording for Abracadabra and its Gesaffelstein remix. The star was emotional as the pop vocal win was announced, and used her speech to support fellow female artists and other women in the industry. "I just want to say for women in music, that I know sometimes when you're in the studio with a bunch of guys, it can be hard, so I urge you to always listen to yourself, and always fight for your ideas, fight for your songs, fight for yourself as a producer, she said. "Make sure that you are heard loudly, and thank you so much for supporting me." Another British win - and a Cher mix-up Carpenter, Bieber, Sir Elton John, Bruno Mars and last year's best new artist, Chappell Roan, were among the nominated stars who missed out on prizes this year. With more than 90 awards to hand out and only a few hours for the broadcast, history was made even before the televised show had started - as Golden, from Netflix mega hit KPop Demon Hunters, became the first ever K-Pop song to win a Grammy. And in taking home the best pop solo performance for her hit song Messy, Lola Young ensured there was another big British win. This one was televised - and Young lived up to the spirit of the song as she told the crowd she "obviously" had not prepared a speech, and apologised for swearing. Other British winners included FKA Twigs, who collected the best dance/ electronic album prize for her record Eusexua, and Cynthia Erivo, who won best pop duet/ group performance for Defying Gravity, her duet with Wicked co-star Ariana Grande. Read more:Grammys red carpet: All the best looksAll the winners in the main categories Elsewhere, Cher received a standing ovation as she picked up a lifetime achievement award - and provided a moment of levity with a mix-up as she presented the record of the year award, which went to Lamar and SZA's luther - not, in fact, to the late Luther Vandross, as she first appeared to say. In fairness, the song does sample the late soul star's 1982 version of If This World Were Mine, with Cheryl Lynn, and Lamar and SZA arrived on stage laughing and joking with Cher. "This is what music is about," he said. "Luther Vandross." During an emotional In Memoriam section, artists including Post Malone and Slash performed War Pigs in tribute to heavy metal pioneer Ozzy Osbourne, who died last year. Lauryn Hill followed with her own tribute to D'Angelo and Roberta Flack, joined by musicians including Jon Batiste and her Fugees bandmate, Wyclef Jean. Earlier in the evening, British star Yungblud won the award for best rock performance for his cover of Black Sabbath's Changes, which he performed at the band's farewell gig, Back To The Beginning, just a few weeks before Osbourne's death. And director Steven Spielberg became the newest member of the select EGOT group - creatives who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony - after scooping best music film for Music By John Williams. "Thank you to all the Grammy voters, whose recognition of Music By John Williams means the world to me," he said in a statement after the win.

It comes after emails appeared to show conversations between the pair about political matters while the former was serving as business secretary, and the de-facto deputy prime minister in 2009, in Gordon Brown's government. Tap here for the latest on the Epstein files The emails prompted calls for police to investigate, while Sir Keir Starmer has urged the former Labour cabinet minister to quit the House of Lords. Lord Mandelson has not responded to the latest allegations. However, in an interview with The Times carried out last week but published on Monday, he referred to a "handful of misguided historical emails, which I deeply regret sending", and described Epstein as "muck that you can't get off your shoe". In the latest tranche of Epstein files released by the US Justice Department, emails appear to show Mandelson giving the paedophile financier advance notice of a €500bn EU bank bailout in 2010. Mandelson was emailed by Epstein, who wrote: "Sources tell me 500 b euro bailout , almost complete (sic)." He then appears to reply: "Sd be announced tonight". Epstein then asks if he is home, to which Mandleson replies: "Just leaving No10... will call". The €500bn deal was approved the next day by European governments as they tried to pull the currency through the 2010 "Eurozone" crisis - where countries such as Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Cyprus were unable to repay or refinance their government debt. The UK did not contribute to the bailout. However, the then-chancellor Alistair Darling was present in Brussels for the negotiations. Other emails appear to show Mandelson telling Epstein he was "trying hard" to change government policy on bankers' bonuses at his request, months after the convicted sex trafficker had paid tens of thousands of pounds to Mandelson's husband. The emails came at the time the so-called "super tax" was being introduced by Mr Darling to clamp down on bank profits being used to pay large bonuses for bankers after the financial crisis. One discussion indicates Lord Mandelson encouraged JP Morgan's boss Jamie Dimon to call Mr Darling and "mildly threaten" him. Separately, the peer also appeared to write to Epstein in June 2009 about an "interesting note that's gone to the PM", forwarding an assessment by Mr Brown's adviser Nick Butler of potential policy measures including an "asset sales plan". Mr Brown condemned the "wholly unacceptable disclosure of government papers and information during the period when the country was battling the global financial crisis", and said he had asked the Cabinet Office to investigate. Meanwhile, the SNP, Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru all called for a formal police inquiry, alleging potential misconduct in public office. On Monday night, Ella Marriott, commander of the Met, said: "The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation. "As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention, we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate." Pressure over peerage Earlier on Monday, Downing Street said that the prime minister has asked Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald - the UK's most senior civil servant - to "urgently" review all available information on contact between the former minister and Epstein. The prime minister's spokesperson also said that Sir Keir believed Mandelson "should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title". However, the government does not have the power to strip him of his peerage, and wants to work with the Lords to modernise disciplinary procedures to make it easier to remove disgraced peers. Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, said the government was writing to the appropriate authorities to start the process today. Sky News has approached representatives for Lord Mandelson for comment on the leaking of sensitive information claims. In a statement about previous allegations, he said: "I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction, and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered." What else have the files revealed? Lord Mandelson was sacked as the ambassador to Washington last year after details emerged of his continued contact with the financier after Epstein's guilty plea in 2008 to soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor. In files released over the weekend, bank statements from 2003 and 2004 appeared to show Lord Mandelson received payments totalling $75,000 (£54,000) from the financier, while he was the MP for Hartlepool. Epstein is also said to have paid for an osteopathy course for Lord Mandelson's husband in 2009. Lord Mandelson resigned his membership of the party on Sunday night. He denied any record or recollection of the payments, but said he did "not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party". The New Labour grandee has also appeared in a picture found in the files wearing only his underwear and a t-shirt, which Sky News has confirmed was taken in Epstein's Paris flat. A spokesperson for Lord Mandelson previously told Sky News: "No one can say who or where the photo was taken. Lord Mandelson has absolutely no idea or indeed whether it has any connection to Epstein at all." Mandelson breaks silence Mandelson has made further comments to The Times newspaper, across two interviews - on 25 January, and on the phone last night. In the interviews, published on Monday, he insisted that he had "no exposure to the criminal aspects of" Epstein's life, and that "none of [the Epstein files] indicate wrongdoing or misdemeanour on my part". He also said that his husband accepting money for an osteopathy course was "clearly a lapse in our collective judgement", but the idea this could have influenced government policy is "risible".

Reports ahead of the new campaign, which begins with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8, claimed Ferrari, Honda and Audi fear that Mercedes, the pre-season title favourites, and Red Bull, who have produced their own power unit for the first time, may have established a performance advantage through a so-called 'loophole' in the regulations. The row centres on compression ratio limits amid suggestions from rivals that the two manufacturers may have found a way to deliver a higher limit than what was theoretically imposed by the brand new regulations for 2026. Five takeaways from F1 testing in BarcelonaPromise for Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton with new-style F1 cars?F1 2026: Testing, calendar, line-ups, new regulations and moreNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contractDownload Sky Sports app for news, expert analysis and video The compression ratio limit has been lowered from 18.0 under the previous ruleset to 16.0, but measurements are only taken when the engine is not running at full temperature. But with Mercedes confident their engine is legal and complies with the FIA technical regulations, Wolff took aim at rivals' complaints and conduct around the matter. The Mercedes team principal said: "I just don't understand that some teams concentrate more on the others and keep arguing a case that is very clear and transparent, communication with the FIA was very positive all along. "It's not only on compression ratio, but on other things too. "Specifically in that area, it's very clear what the regulations say. It's very clear what the standard procedures are on any motors, even outside of Formula 1. "So just get your s*** together. "Just doing secret meetings, sending secret letters and keep trying to invent ways of testing that just don't exist." 'Maybe you want to find excuses before you even started' Wolff said Mercedes, whose new car completed a test-high 500 laps in its debut week of running at the Barcelona shakedown, were simply focusing on themselves. "I feel like I can just say at least from us here, we are trying to minimise distractions and minimising distractions is looking more at us than at everybody else, when it's pretty clear what the regs say and also pretty clear what the FIA has said to us and has said to them so far," added Wolff. "But we're all different. Maybe you want to find excuses before you even started, why things are not good. So everybody needs to do it to the best of their ability. "But that is really not how we would do things, especially not after you've been told a few times that that is fine. "It's legal and it's what the regulations say. But again, if somebody wants to entertain themselves by distraction, then everybody is free to do this." With Mercedes also comfortable with their position based on conversations with the FIA, Wolff added: "The power unit is legal. The power unit corresponds to how the regulations are written. The power unit corresponds to how the checks are being done. "The power unit corresponds to how these things are measured in any other vehicle. And everything else I can't judge upon. But that's how we see the world today. "That's what the FIA said. That's what the president of the FIA said. He knows a bit about that. And in that respect, let's wait and see, but we feel robust." When is F1 Bahrain pre-season testing? The introduction of new regulations means there is a robust schedule of three separate testing events before the start of the 2026 season. With the closed Barcelona Shakedown now complete, F1 will next head to Bahrain for two 'official' pre-season tests, when media will be present and live timing from the circuit available. Two three-day Bahrain tests take place on February 11-13 and 18-20. When is the first F1 race? The teams then have two weeks to prepare for the opening round of the season, which is the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from March 6-8. The first practice sessions of the season will take place on Friday March 6, with Qualifying on Saturday March 7 and the opening race on Sunday March 8. Watch every race of the 2026 F1 season live on Sky Sports, starting with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was detained on Sunday on suspicion of causing bodily harm, wielding a knife and violating a restraining order. Following the latest accusations, police said that they would seek permission from a judge to keep Hoiby in their custody for the next four weeks. Hoiby, the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, was free but awaiting trial on four counts of rape, as well as domestic violence, assault and drug possession, among other crimes. He could face charges from the latest allegations on top of the 38 counts he already faces. They include rape, abuse in a close relationship against one former partner, acts of violence against another and transporting 3.5kg (7.7lbs) of cannabis, as well as making death threats and traffic violations. His lawyer has declined to comment on the new accusations. Hoiby does not admit criminal guilt for the charges of rape and domestic violence, but has admitted to some lesser crimes, and plans to give a detailed explanation in court, his lawyer previously said. His trial is due to last until 19 March. Read more from Sky News:Infantino sorry for 'joke' - and insists Trump deserved peace prizeCaptain found guilty of killing crew member in US tanker collision Hoiby has been under scrutiny since 2024, when police named him as a suspect of physical assault against a woman with whom he had been in a relationship. In a statement to the media at the time, Hoiby admitted to causing bodily harm to the woman while he was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, and to damaging her apartment, saying he regretted his acts. Hoiby is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, and the stepson of the heir to the Norwegian throne, Crown Prince Haakon. He is outside the line of royal succession, and has no title. Last week, the crown prince said the royal house does not intend to comment during the proceedings. The trial is opening just as Hoiby's mother faces renewed scrutiny over her contacts with Jeffrey Epstein following the latest release of documents in the US.

Mehdi Mahmoudian, who co-wrote the script for the Iranian drama It Was Just An Accident, was arrested on Saturday, representatives of the film said in a statement. It is unclear what he is charged with. In the statement, Mahmoudian and 16 others wrote: "The mass and systematic killing of citizens who bravely took to the streets to bring an end to an illegitimate regime constitutes an organised state crime against humanity." Among the signatories were journalist Vida Rabbani and human rights activist Abdullah Momeni, who were also arrested. Mahmoudian's arrest comes just weeks before the Academy Awards in March, where It Was Just An Accident is nominated for best screenplay and best international film. It Was Just An Accident was filmed covertly in Iran and was inspired by director Jafar Panahi's most recent stint in prison, where he met Mahmoudian. He said his co-writer was "a pillar" to other prisoners. Panahi, who also signed the statement criticising the Iranian regime, condemned Mahmoudian's arrest. He said the screenwriter was "a rare moral presence... whose absence is immediately felt, both inside the prison walls and beyond them". One of the most acclaimed international filmmakers, Panahi has made films through various states of imprisonment, house arrest and travel ban. Last year, he was again sentenced to a year in prison for "propaganda activities against the system". Despite the sentence, Panahi, who has been travelling internationally to promote the film, said he will return to Iran. The director previously spoke out about the recent crackdown on protesters by the Iranian government, calling it a "savage massacre". Estimates from human rights organisations and doctors on the number of people who were killed in the deadly protests range from over 5,000 at the conservative end to 33,000 by one count, and even as high as 50,000, according to one unverified claim.

The latest explosive Epstein revelations have forced him to resign from his beloved Labour Party, he says, to save the party from "further embarrassment". It's difficult to imagine what could be more embarrassing than this weekend's disclosure of alleged payments by Jeffrey Epstein to his partner, claims of lobbying a Labour chancellor on tax policy, and being photographed wearing nothing more than a T-shirt and a pair of underpants. Announcing his resignation from the party on Sunday evening, he challenged some of the allegations in the Epstein files and repeated his claim that he had no record or recollection of the payments to his now husband. He said he had written to Hollie Ridley, general secretary of the Labour Party, to say he was stepping down from his party membership. But did he jump or was he pushed? Even if Sir Keir Starmer didn't demand his resignation, such an astute political operator as Lord Mandelson could see he couldn't remain in the party, and he had no alternative but to resign. In his resignation letter, he wrote: "I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this. "Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me. "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." He added: "I want to take this opportunity to repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now. "I have dedicated my life to the values and success of the Labour Party and in taking my decision I believe I am acting in its best interests." His resignation came only hours after the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, called on the PM to suspend his membership of the party and launch an investigation into the financial allegations. 'Completely disgraced' And the Conservatives responded to his resignation with a further attack, a spokesman claiming: "Lord Mandelson is completely disgraced. "Yet Keir Starmer lacked the backbone to take action, allowing Mandelson to resign from the Labour Party instead of kicking him out. "Keir Starmer and his chief of staff appointed Mandelson ambassador despite his relationship with Epstein and then refused to act even as the mountain of evidence against him grew. "Given the prime minister's appalling lack of judgment and the participation of his Downing Street operation, there must now be a full and thorough independent investigation." But the resignation must have been a horrible wrench as well as a humiliation for Lord Mandelson, who had - as he lamented - dedicated his life to the party. A scandal-tainted career Indeed, he was born into the Labour Party. His grandfather was Herbert Morrison, one of the giants of Clement Attlee's post-war government. But it was his attraction to the rich and famous and his fondness for the trappings of wealth that brought about what will be the final downfall of his scandal-tainted career. He famously told tech executives when he was Sir Tony Blair's trade and industry secretary in 1998: "We are intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich." Then, acutely aware of the risk of damaging headlines, the former spin doctor known as the "Prince of Darkness", added hurriedly: "As long as they pay their taxes." His final demise comes just months after Sir Keir was forced to sack him from the top diplomatic post of UK ambassador to the US over his association with the convicted sex offender Epstein. But Epstein was by no means the first Mandelson scandal. He had to resign from Sir Tony's cabinet twice, first over an undeclared bank loan and then over intervening in a passport application by a top Indian businessman. A controversial and divisive figure Over four decades, nearly all on the frontline of British politics, he was a consummate political networker, but also one of the most divisive figures in public life and his appointment as ambassador was seen by critics as an act of cronyism by Sir Keir. Acknowledging that Lord Mandelson - awarded a peerage in 2008 by Gordon Brown - was a controversial and divisive figure, Sir Tony declared in 1996: "My project will be complete when the Labour Party learns to love Peter Mandelson." Read more:Lord Mandelson quits Labour Party over Epstein linksMandelson 'has no recollection' of Epstein giving him $75,000Mandelson apologises for continuing friendship with Epstein The Washington role is seen as the most glittering and important diplomatic post in the UK government. The perks of the job include the luxurious ambassador's residence in Massachusetts Avenue, a magnificent Queen Anne mansion designed by top architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. When he appointed him as ambassador, Sir Keir saw Lord Mandelson as a skilful and persuasive link to the president, with his trade experience from his time as a cabinet minister and Brussels commissioner a vital qualification for the job. Never one for false modesty, Lord Mandelson claimed that when he first walked into the Oval Office the president said to him: "God, you're a good-looking fellow, aren't you?" Diplomatic triumphs Lord Mandelson was credited with several diplomatic triumphs in Washington. He played a vital role in ensuring the UK escaped the worst of Trump's tariffs and he was instrumental in securing a much sought-after trade deal between the UK and the US. And his silky PR skills were displayed when during Sir Keir's first visit to the White House in February, the PM theatrically pulled out of his inside pocket a letter from King Charles inviting the US president to visit the UK. It was a classic Lord Mandelson stunt and confirmed he'd lost none of the flair for presentation he'd first deployed when he was Labour leader Neil Kinnock's spin doctor in the 1980s. Lord Mandelson's high-profile political career began as a TV producer until his appointment as Labour's director of communications under Kinnock in 1985. He was seen as a brilliant if ruthless spin doctor, who masterminded the birth of New Labour but would berate newspaper editors when unfavourable stories were written by their political journalists. Another classic Lord Mandelson attempt to kill an embarrassing story was to tell the journalist who wrote or broadcast it in a sneering voice: "That is a story that I believe will remain an exclusive." He became MP for Hartlepool in 1992 and helped propel Sir Tony to the leadership of the party after John Smith's death in 1994, a move that led to a bitter feud with Mr Brown. There's an amusing story about Mandelson in Hartlepool, which he claimed is a myth and blames Kinnock for. It's claimed he ordered "some of that delicious guacamole" in a fish and chip shop, mistaking mushy peas for avocado dip. It was a perfect Mandelson story, ridiculing his metropolitan tastes and ignorance of working-class life. But he claims the mistake was made by a young American woman student who was helping Labour's campaign. 'I'm a fighter, not a quitter' His first cabinet job, trade and industry secretary in 1998, lasted only five months after he was forced to quit after failing to declare a home loan from Labour millionaire Geoffrey Robinson to his building society. His resignation was similar in one respect to the demise of former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner last year, in that it was over irregularities in buying a property: in Hove in her case, in fashionable Notting Hill in his. He bounced back as Northern Ireland secretary in 1999 and was said to enjoy the luxury of Hillsborough Castle, which went with the job. But he was forced to resign a second time over claims he helped businessman Srichand Hinduja with an application for UK citizenship. When he held his seat in Hartlepool in the 2001 general election, Mandelson made a passionate and defiant victory speech at his count in which he declared: "I'm a fighter, not a quitter." Yet three years later he did quit as an MP, when he became a trade commissioner in Brussels, serving a four-year term during which he had a spectacular row with French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who accused him of selling out French farmers in trade talks. There were more controversies arising from his time in Brussels. In 2006, it was reported that he received a free cruise on a yacht from an Italian mogul who was said to have benefited from tariffs on Chinese shoes when Mandelson was EU trade commissioner. Reports also claimed he had been lent a private jet by banking and business tycoon Nat Rothschild. And it was later reported that he had a holiday in August 2008 on the yacht of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska off the Greek island of Corfu. Mr Deripaska was said to have benefited from a cut in EU aluminium tariffs introduced by Mandelson. But prime minister Brown said Mandelson's dealings with Mr Deripaska had been "found to be above board". His political comeback After Brussels came perhaps his most spectacular and unexpected political comeback, when in 2008 his old foe Brown, by now prime minister but facing challenges to his leadership, brought him back as business secretary with a peerage. A year later, Brown awarded him the grand title, previously held by Michael Heseltine under John Major, of first secretary of state, a position he held until Labour's election defeat in 2010. 👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 To the end, Lord Mandelson remained a devoted Blairite rather than a soulmate of Mr Brown. And in the run-up to Sir Keir's 2024 general election victory last year, he was back in the fold, offering advice on campaigning and policy. He got his reward with the plum job of ambassador in Washington. But his links to a very American scandal, involving the disgraced financier and sex offender Epstein, pushed him out of political life. He may have hoped for yet another comeback, but that won't happen now. There are calls from opposition MPs for him to be stripped of his peerage. Currently on leave of absence from the Lords, he says he doesn't plan to return. But what will hurt him most will be being forced to sever his link with the Labour Party that he was born into and which he served all his life. Until now. It's over.

Arsenal Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth: Going into the window, the feeling was Arsenal were going to be quiet. And so it proved. They did their business in the summer - and were only likely to dip into the market if a long-term target or unique market opportunity presented itself. Manager Mikel Arteta maintained they would be alive and alert. However, he also called for the numbers in a matchday squad to be increased in line with Europe. He is begging for 23 in total - and 20 outfield players. The reason? He is having to disappoint two or three players every game. With that in mind, the chance of a new signing was always going to be slim. A serious injury to Mikel Merino gave Arsenal food for thought - and they tentatively explored a potential deal. However, that's as far as it got and Arsenal will continue their fight on all four fronts with the squad they. Thoughts will no doubt switch to the summer when Arsenal are expected to be busy again. Aston Villa Sky Sports News reporter Rob Jones: With the challenges presented by complying with the Premier League and UEFA's financial rules still very pertinent for Aston Villa they perhaps did as much as they could this January to remain competitive on three fronts in the coming months. Douglas Luiz has a lot of work to do to cover for the absence of injured trio John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans for the foreseeable future, but at least he knows Unai Emery's system. Tammy Abraham knows the club and is a more natural central striker than Donyel Malen, who left to join Roma. Returning from Rome is Leon Bailey who feels a better option than Evan Guessand, who underwhelmed after his summer arrival. Emery's brilliance probably holds the key to Villa holding off the challenge from behind in the league and ending a 30-year wait for silverware. Bournemouth Sky Sports News reporter Mark McAdam: This was always going to be a tough transfer window for Bournemouth to navigate with the anticipated departure of Antoine Semenyo due to his release clause. However, with the arrival of four new faces for Andoni Iraola, this window will be seen as a success. The injury to Justin Kluivert around the same time as Semenyo left for Man City only added to the sense that this would be a pivotal period for the Cherries. Results were mixed and the club were flirting with slipping into the relegation battle. It all felt a bit worrying. How different the picture looks now though. Unbeaten in five games and 13 points clear of the bottom three, Bournemouth can comfortably look up the table rather than over their shoulder and the early signs are that their latest recruits could be hits. Brazilian teenager Rayan, the potential Semenyo replacement, set up Bournemouth's second goal in Saturday's 2-0 win at Wolves in his debut following £30.3m move from Vasco da Gama. Bournemouth will be glad he has a release clause of £86.3m in his contract. The signing of midfielder Alex Toth from Ferencvaros was another coup. Lazio, Benfica and Galatasary were all chasing the 20-year-old, who was developed at the Hungarian club by head coach Robbie Keane, and he comes with experience of pressure environments. Bournemouth have also brought in goalkeeper Christos Mandas from Lazio to provide competition for Djordje Petrovic in a move that could become permanent in the summer. Left back Ade Solanke, 18, is seen as one for the future after signing from Lorient. There was hope at one point of adding a fifth signing. Inter's Luis Henrique was one of those that Bournemouth looked at but because of the club being in such a comfortable position there was no desire to force a move at an inflated price late in the window. Brentford Sky Sports News senior football news editor Lyall Thomas: Brentford's impressive form this season meant they could stay measured in this window. Their league position is a reflection of the great work they have done in previous windows. They had wanted to add a young centre-forward prospect for some time and Kaye Furo becomes that player, now learning under former Club Brugge team-mate Igor Thiago. They also kept hold of some key players in Kristoffer Ajer and Vitaly Janelt. Both have signed new deals after uncertainty around their futures and interest from other clubs. There may have been some further changes in defence but nothing really materalised for Ethan Pinnock in the end, meaning no replacement was needed. Brighton Sky Sports News news editor Elliot Cook: It started with a bang but arguably ended with a bit of a whimper. Brighton's window started in spectacular fashion with the return of club legend Pascal Gross early on. The re-signing of the Germany international for a fee of £1.2m from Borussia Dortmund is already starting to pay dividends. His experience will be key and is sure to rub off on the many young players in the squad. Matt O'Riley is another player to return to the club albeit in different circumstances. The midfielder's loan from Marseille was ended early and becomes another option for head coach Fabian Hurzeler. With appearances in the Champions League for the French club this season, the former Celtic man comes back a better player. The 25-year-old's return to Brighton was confirmed on the final day of the window. Perhaps there was a hope amongst some of the support in certain quarters that there would be more arrivals. Should a striker have come in to ease the pressure on 35-year-old Danny Welbeck and 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas up front? Evan Ferguson's possible return from a loan spell at Roma was often a topic of discussion but he is staying in Italy. Has Tommy Watson's loan move to Millwall for the rest of the season left Brighton light in terms of back-up wingers? Brajan Gruda has moved to Leipzig on loan too. Brighton tend not to do too much business in January - they are calm, not reactive and spend much of it looking at forward planning. Much work would have been done behind the scenes for the summer window. Expect a fair bit of movement in and out then. Worth a reminder that one of their best signings this window might not be a player but one behind the scenes. Mike Anthony, who was high performance chief at the All Blacks, came in to take a newly created role as the club's head of player development and high performance in what they feel is an innovative move focused on culture and mentality. Burnley Sky Sports News digital journalist Declan Olley: This was always going to be a tough window for Burnley to do business in given their current position in the Premier League table. Signing James Ward-Prowse, a player with a proven track record in the Premier League, from a relegation rival no less, will certainly be seen as a smart signing by Scott Parker. Whether that will be enough to surmount the overwhelming challenge Burnley face in terms of keeping themselves in the Premier League remains to be seen. At one stage, it looked as if Ward-Prowse's move from West Ham would not happen. At least they managed to get this one over the line. Whatever Burnley did in this window, they were always facing an unenviable task to stay in the Premier League. Chelsea Sky Sports News chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol: Chelsea are usually big spenders in transfer windows but this turned out to be a quiet month by Stamford Bridge standards. They missed out on their No. 1 target Jeremy Jacquet. Liverpool got him at the last minute after Chelsea were confident that he would choose them ahead of other interested clubs. It's debatable whether Chelsea needed another centre back, especially with Levi Colwill due back from injury before the end of the season and promising young defenders out on loan. One of them - Mamadou Sarr - is coming back from sister club Strasbourg and he is expected to challenge for a first-team place straightaway. This window officially marked the end of Chelsea's so-called Bomb Squad. Raheem Sterling's contract was terminated and Axel Disasi joined West Ham on loan. Crystal Palace Sky Sports News reporter James Savundra: It's been some start to the year for Crystal Palace. They smashed their transfer record to sign Brennan Johnson from Spurs. Their FA Cup defence collapsed at the first attempt against non-League Macclesfield Town. Days later, their manager Oliver Glasner confirmed he'd be heading off in the summer just moments after revealing that club captain Marc Guehi was set to be sold. On the pitch, the winless run continued as a season filled with promise began to unravel. Reinforcements were forthcoming as the future of their top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta became more and more uncertain. Long-term target Evann Guessand was signed in a try-before-you-buy loan deal from Aston Villa as Palace threatened to commit more than £100m in incomings in the winter window. As ever, all roads pointed towards a busy Deadline Day. Jorgen Strand Larsen was lined up as a replacement for Mateta. But the wantaway Frenchmen didn't get the Italian Job done. It seemed implausible that Palace would end the season with two frontline strikers but they deserve credit for ploughing ahead with the deal for Strand Larsen despite the late collapse of Mateta's move to Milan. It's a calculated gamble from Steve Parish. They have added firepower up front. They have failed to replace their captain but left no stone unturned in their attempt to sign a central defender for a fair market price. It's now imperative Palace immediately quell any doubts surrounding their Premier League status and then press forward in achieving a successful finish. A rollercoaster season could still culminate in European glory. Everton Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O'Connor: David Moyes had been pretty clear in his expectations that this window and Deadline Day was not going to be spectacular. Only a few weeks ago he said to me how welcome an approach it is given the spending of the past which caused Everton so much harm in the long run. So, a quiet window ended with what should be seen as sensible business. In Tyrique George they are getting the chance to have a look at a 19 year old who joins on loan until the end of the season, before deciding whether or not to take up their option to buy. There was interest in George from another premier league club and one in Europe, who was close to a £22m move to Fulham in the summer. And he arrives at Everton having scored three goals in 11 Chelsea appearances this season, including in the Champions League at home to Ajax. In total he's made 37 appearances for Chelsea including one Premier league start. While his only Premier League goal came last season as he kick started the comeback win at Fulham. Given the injury to Jack Grealish, George will be hopeful David Moyes can offer him greater playing time. The Everton boss will have also Dwight McNeil to call on for the remainder of the season out wide after his move to Crystal Palace collpased after the deadline had passed. A deal sheet was submitted but the relevant paperwork was not done in time. At the obligation price of £20m it was a difficult offer for Everton to say no to. But having another more experienced wide player to support youngsters George and Tyler Dibling could prove valuable for Moyes. Fulham Sky Sports News reporter James Cole: Deadline Day at Fulham started with a great deal of promise but ultimately failed to deliver. The club were hopeful they could get a deal done for Riccardo Pepi, the PSV Eindhoven striker. The club had reached an agreement on a £32m package, but that was on the proviso that PSV could find a replacement. They were unable to do so and therefore the deal fell through. Fulham do however still hope to pick it back up in the summer. The 21-year-old Pepi is a long-term target and a long-term successor to Raul Jimenez. Harry Wilson was also in the headlines early on Deadline Day. It emerged Everton had made an approach for him last week - unsurprisingly it was rejected by Fulham. Marco Silva has repeatedly said Wilson is going nowhere in this window. So, Fulham's January business saw a 30-year-old winger, Adame Traore, leave the club and a 22-year-old winger, Oscar Bobb, arrive. Slim business, yes - but if Bobb can stay fit and fulfill his potential you have to say potentially very good business too. Leeds Sky Sports News digital journalist Zinny Boswell: Leeds United reach the end of another transfer window with an overwhelming sense of what could have been after missing out on Jorgen Strand Larsen to Crystal Palace. This was never supposed to be a big window for Daniel Farke's side and loan signings were always thought to be more likely than permanent deals. That is how things panned out in the end with Facundo Buonanotte, a loan from Brighton, the only incoming for Leeds. The Argentina international playmaker adds a creative profile to the squad that was lacking, but it remains to be seen if he can cut it at Premier League level after struggling to consistently keep his place in the team at Brighton and Leicester. Expectations were low coming into the window, but the pursuit of Strand Larsen raised hopes. Leeds were unwilling to go above £40m - Wolves' initial valuation for the striker - and Palace ended up committing to £8m more than that. For a club that said they were maxing out PSR after the summer, there was no further that Leeds could stretch to make this deal happen. So why did some of those funds not go towards improving other areas of the squad? Leeds were planning to structure most of the deal to come out of next year's budget to stay within Premier League rules. Strand Larsen was also viewed as a unique opportunity and players like that do not often become available in mid-season windows. At a time when there is uncertainty in the goalkeeping department and injuries at full-back, it has been received by some fans as a gamble not to invest more in the squad to give Leeds the best chance of Premier League survival. We have been here before, though, with Leeds. In the summer, deals for the likes of Igor Paixao failed to materialise, and there were concerns that this squad did not have what it takes to cope with the Premier League. So far, they have defied those expectations. The true test will be in May. If Leeds stay up, none of this matters, but if they go down then perhaps the club will look back on this window as a missed opportunity to strengthen. Only time will tell. Liverpool Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O'Connor: After a record breaking spend in the summer, this was a window in which Liverpool were never going to go wild. At the same time, having missed out on Marc Guehi on the final day of the summer window when Crystal Palace pulled the plug, to then lose him to Manchester City was a major blow. Ultimately the whole package didn't make financial sense, which was disappointing given how open to the move Guehi had been in the summer and the fact that Liverpool's interest had never waned, particularly as they saw him as someone who is not only one of the Premier League's centre backs but can also cover at right back. Liverpool's need for defensive reinforcements was emphasised by injuries to Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley all adding to the long term absence of Geovanni Leoni. Ultimately, a deal for Lutsharel Geertruida proved impossible as Sunderland were not in a position to sanction the move despite the player himself wanting to make the switch. It all meant that discussions with Spurs over a £5m move for Andy Robertson were short-lived as it would have made little sense for Liverpool to weaken their defensive options further. Similarly, Inter Milan's interest in Curtis Jones was swiftly rebuffed. Liverpool, though, have started the reshaping of their backline. Jeremy Jacquet completed a medical before finalising a deal that could see Liverpool pay Rennes up to £60m for the 20-year-old centre half. However, he will only become a Liverpool player in the summer, and will play out the rest of the season with Rennes hoping to deliver European football. Unlike the Guehi situation, Liverpool have headed off interest from other clubs, most notably Chelsea, with Jacquet believing he'll get more game time at Anfield. For the rest of this season though, it's a case of as you were when it comes to the makeup of this current Liverpool squad. Man City Sky Sports News senior football news editor Lyall Thomas: Manchester City arguably stole the show this window by swooping in ahead of Liverpool and other top clubs for Antione Semenyo and Marc Guehi. They have made two important additions ahead of the summer in key positions and signed Premier League ready players who have already hit the ground running. A solution has also been found, finally, for Kalvin Phillips who joins Sheffield United on loan until the summer. Sverre Nypan returns from a loan at Middlesbrough to integrate into the first-team, while a number of other youngsters head out on loan for more game time. Man Utd Sky Sports News reporter Danyal Khan: As expected, it was overall a quiet window in the January transfer window for Manchester United. Entering the window, there was uncertainty amongst a few players such as the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee. But none of those situations for different reasons ended up in departures - and perhaps the reason why is because the biggest outgoing of the window for the club was United's former head coach Ruben Amorim and the most impactful incoming was his replacement Michael Carrick after leading them to three huge wins in the last three weeks. The change has seen United start Kobbie Mainoo start and star three league games in a row which has put questions around his future on hold for now. However with no reinforcements, all attention for United will be on the summer window as they look to reshape their midfield, especially with Casemiro leaving the club at the end of his contract this summer as well. They resisted the temptation to reinforce this window and refused to compromise on their long-term targets but all eyes will be on United's hierarchy this summer - especially when it is still uncertain who will be the head coach going into next season. Newcastle Sky Sports News reporter Keith Downie: Newcastle failed to make a January signing, much to the frustration of their fanbase. With a relentless fixture schedule that sees them currently play a game every three days, a fresh face would have given everyone a lift. Eddie Howe has previously gone on record to say he'd like to sign at least one new player every window. In truth though, Newcastle are still counting the cost of a summer splurge that saw them spend £250m. The jury is still out on a few of those new faces as Eddie Howe attempts to knit a new team together without the player they were all there to serve - Alexander Isak. It all feels very much a work in progress. The biggest move of Deadline Day was club captain Jamaal Lascelles moving to Leicester City after 12 long years with the club. The team as a whole are doing okay despite the distractions and residual damage of last summer, and are still in four competitions. But when it comes to new faces they'll keep their powder dry until the summer as they look to strengthen significantly then. It won't all go their way, as it again looks as though they'll have to brace themselves for further attempts from competitors to sign their best players. Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento are two that continually get linked with moves away. But for now, it's batten down the hatches and get through until the end of the season. Nottingham Forest Sky Sports News reporter Anton Toloui: Nottingham Forest had a frustrating end to the window but covered most positions they wanted filling. There will be lots of focus on their failed bids for Arne Engels and Jean-Phillippe Mateta but both would have been bonus signings. Luca Netz was brought in for a pittance by Premier League standards to offer competition at left-back, Lorenzo Lucca offers another striking threat with Chris Wood out and Stefan Ortega's arrival was timely after an injury to 'keeper Matz Sels. Long-term targets will be chased in the summer but Elliot Anderson's future will be the main story at the City Ground at the end of the season. Sunderland Sky Sports News reporter Keith Downie: It was a significantly quieter transfer window for Sunderland than what we saw in the summer when 14 new arrivals cost around £150m. That was a necessity back then, but the need for mass change has been reduced due to Sunderland's impressive start to the season that sees them unbeaten at home and lying mid-table. The one big signing arrived on Deadline Day - Nilson Angulo from Anderlecht. The winger has signed for £15m, with a potential £2.5m in addition in add-ons. It was left very late, and reliant on outcast Adil Aouchiche freeing up a loan spot by cutting his deal at Aberdeen short and moving to Schalke. That loan spot was the taken by Simon Adingra who joined Monaco on loan, and allowed Sunderland to sign Angulo permanently. Confused? It's never dull on Deadline Day. Sporting director Florent Ghisolfi can be very creative. Liverpool tried to make it more confusing by attempting to sign Lutsharel Geertruida over the weekend. But due to the complexity of the deal (The Dutchman is on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig) Sunderland refused to sanction it. There were a number of January departures from The Stadium of Light. The most notable one being former captain Dan Neil, who led the club promotion to the Premier League. He was never given a chance by Regis Le Bris in the top flight, but now has the chance for back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Tottenham Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge: Tottenham end the window with Thomas Frank's squad looking short amid an injury crisis despite the arrivals of midfielder Conor Gallagher and left-back Souza. Failure to bring in a forward after injuries to Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus is the big shortcoming for Spurs. The club did not want to be reactive to their situation and panic buy. January is a notoriously hard window to do business in and top players rarely become available. Every effort was put into trying to sign Antoine Semenyo, but he chose to join Manchester City. Spurs also tried to sign Andy Robertson to inject some much-needed experience into the side and provide cover for the injured Ben Davies. However, it proved too difficult for Liverpool to recall Kostas Tsimikas from his loan at Roma and the deal could not be done. Randal Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel, Radu Dragusin and Antonin Kinsky all attracted interest in this window but Spurs could not sanction their exits with all their injury issues. They have all struggled for game time this season but there is an opportunity now to prove themselves. Spurs have big plans to strengthen in the summer transfer window. Frank will hope he gets the time to reap the benefits of that. The spirited fight-back in the draw against Man City suggests he has the backing of the players, but a lot is being asked of this depleted group. Frank and his employers must hope that they have enough to rise to the occasion and restore some consistency for Spurs. Otherwise, the increasingly frustrated fanbase may run out of patience with the lack of support they have been given. West Ham Sky Sports News reporter Chris Reidy: West Ham made a fast start to the transfer window and a slow-ish end. Taty Castellanos and Pablo coming in within five days of January strengthened the attack. Adama Traore coming in towards the end adds pace and unpredictability into the squad. Nuno Espírito Santo constantly talked about rebalancing the squad during the winter window. I can't quite work out if he has so I'll be interested to get his answer when I speak to him on Thursday. Apart from Lucas Paqueta, no key players have left. And the Lucas Paqueta we've seen this season can't be described as key. Players who weren't playing minutes are gone. Igor Julio, James Ward-Prowse, Guido Rodriguez and Andy Irving are out. Axel Disasi signing on the final day offers needed cover. Are West Ham stronger now than compared to the start of the window? I would say just. Pablo and Castellanos as a pair seems to be working up front but if that starts to slow down, the window starts to look very different. Wolves Sky Sports News senior football news editor Lyall Thomas: Wolves' window has been more about outgoings than incomings, as the club looks increasingly likely to be relegated at the end of the season. They have sold arguably their best forward in Jorgen Strand Larsen to Crystal Palace for £48m, which has to be seen as trying to extract maximum value for a player out of form. In turn the club have been looking to get ready for a medium term that may involve a season at least in the Championship, and the additions of Adam Armstrong and Angel Gomes add know-how and quality. It is a shame they did not also add Che Adams - a long-term target - to their thanks despite trying with Torino right until the final day. Tough times ahead for Wolves indeed but the money from Strand Larsen gives them more to spend in the summer and with time to plan for the market.