The latest explosive Epstein revelations first forced him to resign from his beloved Labour Party, he said, to save the party from "further embarrassment". But then the furore over the disclosure that he leaked highly confidential and market sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary under Gordon Brown was worse than embarrassing. It led to calls for a police investigation over allegations of misconduct in a public office, which the Metropolitan Police is currently reviewing. Brown's allies called it a "betrayal of trust" and some MPs accused Mandelson of treachery. Then, after the prime minister told the cabinet Mandelson had "let the country down" and should no longer be a member of the House of Lords or use his title, the disgraced now former peer threw in the towel and told new Lord Speaker, Lord Michael Forsyth, of his "intention to retire" from the Lords. There's no way back now. He's finished. And he could yet face prosecution and - potentially - jail, if convicted. It’s difficult to imagine what could be more embarrassing than this weekend’s disclosure of payments by Jeffrey Epstein to his then partner, lobbying a Labour chancellor on tax policy and being photographed wearing nothing more than a T-shirt and a pair of underpants. And the resignations must have been a horrible wrench as well as a humiliation for Lord Mandelson, who had - as he lamented - dedicated his life to the Labour 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.

Ejae (Rumi), Audrey Nuna (Mira), and Rei Ami (Zoey), the singing voices behind the fictional band HUNTR/X, will perform the record-breaking hit Golden from the film's soundtrack, organisers have announced. The song made history at the weekend as it became the first ever K-pop song to win a Grammy, following previous wins for best animated film and best original song at the Golden Globes in January. However, despite its success at US awards ceremonies - including nominations for best animated film and best original song at the Oscars next month - the film was ineligible for awards at the BAFTAs as it was first released on Netflix and not in UK cinemas. "Performing at the EE BAFTA Film Awards is a golden moment that our younger selves could never have imagined!," the singers said in a statement. "We're so proud to represent Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters and spread the film's positive message to fans around the globe." Within two months of its release in June, KPop Demon Hunters became Netflix's most watched film of all time, and has now had more than 500 million streams. Golden, the headline track from the film's soundtrack, topped the Billboard chart in the US for eight consecutive weeks and the UK charts for 10 non-consecutive weeks, and made Spotify's top 10 of songs streamed globally in 2025. Read more:BAFTAs: The full list of stars and films nominatedBad Bunny to Olivia Dean: The big winners at the Grammys Emma Baehr, BAFTA executive director of awards and content, said the film had had a "phenomenal impact on the hearts and minds of audiences of all ages around the world" and that she was "thrilled" to welcome the singers bringing "K-pop energy" to the ceremony. "Not only are we here to celebrate exceptional films and the people who make them, we also want to create an unmissable night of entertainment, and we can't wait to roll out the EE BAFTA Film Awards red carpet for such an iconic trio," she said. The singers were the voices behind the film's soundtrack but the spoken words were voiced by three different actresses, Arden Cho (Rumi), May Hong (Mira) and Ji-young Yoo (Zoey). The BAFTAs ceremony will take place at London's Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 22 February, with stars including Timothee Chalamet, Jessie Buckley, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Michael B Jordan, Kate Hudson, Teyana Taylor and Paul Mescal in the running for awards.

The latest explosive Epstein revelations first forced him to resign from his beloved Labour Party, he said, to save the party from "further embarrassment". But then the furore over the disclosure that he leaked highly confidential and market sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary under Gordon Brown was worse than embarrassing. It led to calls for a police investigation over allegations of misconduct in a public office, which the Metropolitan Police is currently reviewing. Brown's allies called it a "betrayal of trust" and some MPs accused Mandelson of treachery. Then, after the prime minister told the cabinet Mandelson had "let the country down" and should no longer be a member of the House of Lords or use his title, the disgraced now former peer threw in the towel and told new Lord Speaker, Lord Michael Forsyth, of his "intention to retire" from the Lords. There's no way back now. He's finished. And he could yet face prosecution and - potentially - jail, if convicted. It’s difficult to imagine what could be more embarrassing than this weekend’s disclosure of payments by Jeffrey Epstein to his then partner, lobbying a Labour chancellor on tax policy and being photographed wearing nothing more than a T-shirt and a pair of underpants. And the resignations must have been a horrible wrench as well as a humiliation for Lord Mandelson, who had - as he lamented - dedicated his life to the Labour 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.

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

The crash happened in a farmland area in Littleborough, Rochdale, shortly after 11am. Greater Manchester Police said two men were found and they were pronounced dead at the scene. It is not believed there was anyone else on board and there were no reported injuries on the ground. Chief Superintendent Danny Inglis said: "This is a devastating incident where two people have lost their lives and our thoughts are with their families and friends. "We have been working closely with emergency service colleagues and partner agencies throughout the day to establish the full circumstances and we will be on scene overnight and into tomorrow. "There will be an enhanced presence as officers and investigators comprehensively survey the area and ensure all available evidence is recovered. "If anyone has any information, or witnessed the crash, we would urge you to get in touch with us." Photos shared on social media appear to show a yellow parachute partly wrapped around the base of an electricity pylon. There are reports that the aircraft which crashed is a Cirrus SR20, a plane which is fitted with a parachute system designed to deploy in an emergency. The flight tracking website, flightradar24, posted a message on X showing an image of a Cirrus aircraft, believed to be involved in the accident. It said a plane departed Birmingham Airport at 9.59am and the last signal was received at around 10.39am "south of the M62 motorway near Marsden". It has not officially been confirmed whether this is the aircraft which crashed. A Birmingham Airport spokesman confirmed a private light aircraft left its XLR Executive Jet Centre at around 10am on Tuesday. Other images from the scene show a large response from the emergency services, with several fire engines, police and ambulance vehicles. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) issued a statement related to the crash. "An accident involving a light aircraft which occurred today (3 February) near Rochdale, Greater Manchester has been notified to the AAIB. "An investigation has been launched and a multidisciplinary team of inspectors are on their way to the accident site."

Kirk Holdrick, 43, and another man smashed their way into the London mansion in balaclavas in the early hours of 12 February 2023. They were confronted by Taylor-Joy's husband, Malcolm MacRae, who had gone to investigate the sound of breaking glass. He ran back to the bedroom and barricaded himself and his wife in - armed only with a lamp - as the raiders tried to prise open the door. CCTV captured Holdrick and his accomplice climbing a wall to the home and becoming "startled" as they triggered a security light. Wood Green Crown Court heard they fled after MacRae claimed to have a gun. Prosecutors believe they may have been specifically targeting the Hollywood star. Taylor-Joy - known for productions such as The Queen's Gambit, Peaky Blinders and the Dune films - was still barricaded inside with her husband when police arrived. Nine days later, Holdrick broke into another house in the famous millionaires' enclave of Sandbanks and tied up a woman and her daughter at gunpoint. Holdrick and accomplice Ashley Fulton dressed as police to gain entry. They dragged the daughter by her hair and threatened to burn her with an iron and shoot her dead if they weren't given the code to the safe. They failed but made off with about £200,000 worth of watches, jewellery and cash. In November, Holdrick was jailed for 12 years after admitting the Sandbanks raid and received a further three-year term this week for the burglary involving Taylor-Joy and her husband. He initially denied the London burglary and claimed DNA found at the scene was there because he had been to a party at the property. However, he pleaded guilty in December last year. Holdrick, who once dated a cast member from The Only Way Is Essex, was also jailed for life in 2005 for an armed robbery on a security van and has convictions dating back to his teens.

It comes after emails appeared to show conversations between the pair about political matters while Lord Mandelson was serving as business secretary and the de-facto deputy prime minister in 2009, in Gordon Brown's government. Politics live: How did we get here with Peter Mandelson? The SNP, Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru had all called for a formal police inquiry, alleging potential misconduct in public office. Commander Ella Marriott, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "Following the further release of millions of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice, the Met received a number of reports into alleged misconduct in public office including a referral from the UK Government. "I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former government minister, for misconduct in public office offences. "The Met will continue to assess all relevant information brought to our attention as part of this investigation and won't be commenting any further at this time." Lord Mandelson is set to step down from the House of Lords following the latest revelations. Documents released by the US Department of Justice on Monday indicate Epstein was sent internal discussions from the heart of the UK government after the global financial crisis. That includes emails in which Lord Mandelson appeared to tell Epstein he was "trying hard" to change government policy on bankers' bonuses, and to confirm an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced. 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". Downing Street earlier said the Cabinet Office had referred how Lord Mandelson handled sensitive government information while he was a minister to the Metropolitan Police. Mr Brown also said he had written to the force's commissioner, Mark Rowley, about Lord Mandelson's contact with Epstein. The former PM said the alleged leak was "an inexcusable and unpatriotic act at a time when the whole government and country were attempting to address the global financial crisis that was damaging so many livelihoods". Lord Mandelson's representatives have been contacted for comment. He has previously said: "I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction [in 2008 for procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute] and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered." And in an interview with The Times carried out last week but published on Monday, Mandelson referred to a "handful of misguided historical emails, which I deeply regret sending". On other claims, Lord Mandelson questioned the authenticity of the documents, citing false claims he had a US social security number, questionable US-dollar cheque payments into UK banks, incorrect beneficiary details, and multiple basic errors in dates, spelling and formatting. Mandelson quits the Lords It emerged earlier on Tuesday that Lord Mandelson will retire from the House of Lords - with his departure becoming effective overnight. However he will not automatically lose his the title of 'Lord', which is separate from membership of the upper chamber. It is understood the government intends to pass pursue legislation to remove his peerage altogether. Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said the prime minister opened Tuesday's cabinet meeting by saying he was "appalled by the information that had emerged over the weekend in the Epstein files". "He said the alleged passing on of emails of highly sensitive government business was disgraceful, adding that he was not reassured that the totality of information had yet emerged," the spokesman said. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the news of the police investigation was "inevitable" and "welcome". She added: "We should not let this distract us from the fact the prime minister has his fingerprints all over this. "He knew all of the allegations, concerns and reports about Peter Mandelson, knew that he was a close friend, an associate, of a convicted paedophile, and he still gave him the biggest job in the Foreign Office, at a time when UK-US relations are at a critical point. "That's what he chose to do, and he's got a lot of questions to answer." This is in reference to Lord Mandelson's public relationship with Epstein at the time he was chosen to be ambassador to the US (December 2024) and then appointed (February 2025). He quit that position in September after new emails revealed that he sent messages of support to Epstein even as he faced jail for sex offences in 2008. The revelations that have come out in recent weeks are a result of new documents published by the US Congress, and Downing Street has said it was not aware of these allegations until they were made public in recent days.

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 have. 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.