Peter Mandelson stripped of Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honours

Peter Mandelson has been stripped of his Maltese national honours after revelations of his close ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a notice published in the Government Gazette, the government said that it terminated the honorary appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson to the National Order of Merit.

Mandelson is a former British ambassador the US who is now facing a criminal investigation after the US Justice Department released materials related to the Epstein case.

Mandelson is accused of sharing sensitive information that was of clear financial interest to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis.

Malta had conferred the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honour to Mandelson in 2015. When he visited the islands for a business attractiveness conference that same year, he told local politicians and businesspeople that reputation is a key component to attracting foreign investment.