UK PM fires Ambassador to US Peter Mandelson over Epstein links

London: The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has fired Peter Mandelson from his role as ambassador to the United States after his connections to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came under renewed scrutiny, Al Jazeera reported.

Mandelson, a seasoned Labour politician who played a pivotal role in former UK PM Tony Blair’s government, had faced questions about his ties to Epstein following the release of a birthday book that featured a letter from Mandelson calling Epstein “my best pal.”

The British Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that, in light of new emails revealing the depth of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had instructed Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to recall him from the post. The emails, according to the government, show a far closer connection than was previously known when Mandelson was appointed as ambassador.

“In light of the additional information in emails written by Peter Mandelson, the prime minister has asked the foreign secretary to withdraw him as ambassador,” Britain’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

“The emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment,” the ministry added.

One of the most damning revelations came from a report by The Sun newspaper, which published emails showing Mandelson encouraging Epstein to “fight for early release” just before the financier was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor, as per Al Jazeera.

In one email, Mandelson told Epstein, “I think the world of you,” just before Epstein began his sentence.

The emails were published after the Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee released a 50th birthday album compiled in 2003 for Epstein, who at the time was a wealthy and well-connected financier. In that album, Mandelson called Epstein “my best pal” in a handwritten note, according to Al Jazeera. (ANI)

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