Lord Mandelson has “cast a stain” over politics amid accusations he leaked sensitive government information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, Baroness Harman has said.

Baroness Harman, who was leader of the Commons and deputy Labour leader when Lord Mandelson was business secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “What’s so terrible about what Peter Mandelson has done is that it’s played into the sense that people have that politicians are all the same, we’re all in it for ourselves, we’re all in it for money.

“That is not the case, but what Peter Mandelson has done is cast a stain over, not just this Government, but over politics as a whole. I’m sure the Government are in absolutely no doubt about the seriousness of it, and will be taking action and Peter Mandelson will be held accountable.”