Councillors have voted unanimously to withdraw the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Hartlepool granted to Lord Peter Mandelson.
All councillors present at a meeting of Full Council on Thursday 2nd October voted for a motion and official records will now be updated accordingly.
The motion was as follows:
Council notes that: The Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Hartlepool is the highest civic honour the Council can bestow. It is granted only to individuals who have rendered eminent services and whose conduct reflects the values and integrity of the Borough. Recent disclosures have confirmed a longstanding and close relationship between Lord Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted paedophile, which continued after Epstein’s conviction and until his death in 2019. Such an association is fundamentally incompatible with the values and dignity of this honour.
Council believes that: The Borough’s highest civic honour must be preserved for individuals who uphold standards of conduct befitting its dignity. Failure to act in light of these disclosures risks damaging the reputation of Hartlepool and undermining public confidence in the integrity of civic awards.
Council therefore resolves to: Rescind the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Hartlepool previously awarded to Lord Peter Mandelson. Instruct the Chief Executive to update the official records of the Borough accordingly. Issue a public statement to explain the Council’s decision, affirming its commitment to safeguarding the dignity of civic honours.