British prime minister Keir Starmer has sacked Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington after leaked emails revealed the depth of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Foreign Office said Thursday the decision followed “additional information” showing Mandelson urged Epstein to fight for early release after his 2008 conviction for child prostitution. One email told Epstein, “Your friends stay with you and love you.”
The revelations, reported by The Telegraph and Bloomberg, also showed Mandelson calling Epstein “my best pal” in a 2003 birthday book and revealed a £1 billion deal Mandelson brokered with Epstein’s involvement while serving as UK business secretary.
Mandelson, a former Labour Party minister, lasted seven months in the post. His dismissal comes days before Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK.
Opposition leaders accused Starmer of dithering and demanded he explain what he knew about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein before appointing him.
This marks Mandelson’s third forced resignation from government roles; he previously quit Tony Blair’s Cabinet twice over separate scandals.
