Mandelson, Epstein and the ‘deceitfulness of wealth’

Our headlines have been dominated by the drip-fed horror of the Epstein files; the realisation that rich and powerful people used precisely those riches and that power to prey on young women in unspeakably evil ways.

This has featured in the news for years; the erstwhile Prince Andrew only one among the famous who have been caught in the net of scandal. But another figure in the spotlight has been Peter Mandelson, whose relationship with Epstein has been revealed to be revoltingly close, and whose downfall has rocked the government, having been appointed by Sir Keir Starmer as US Ambassador.

In a recent interview with The Times, Mandelson was asked whether his judgment around the rich and powerful was fatally flawed. I found his response striking: “I don’t think I am drawn towards rich people so much as rich people have big personalities, a lot of knowledge and a lot of experience to share. I hoover that up, but not because they’re wealthy. It’s because of what they do and what they’ve learnt and the responsibilities they’ve exercised, not the size of their bank accounts.”