But across the pond, a man named Jeffrey Epstein, a well-connected financier and convicted child sex offender, had been briefed hours before. “Finally got him to go today …” an email believed to be sent by Peter Mandelson informed Epstein on Monday morning. The apparent tipoff, revealed in the latest tranche of the Epstein files, not only gave Epstein an inside track on the UK’s political future, but also on large moves that were to ripple through global markets. When Epstein asks if the UK business secretary is home, Mandelson wrote “Just leaving No10..will call”. It came shortly after markets in Tokyo had opened for trading, and prompted a sharp rally after European stock markets opened at 8am UK time that day.

Source: The Guardian February 04, 2026 19:16 UTC