Britain on Thursday dismissed Peter Mandelson from his post as ambassador to the United States after a growing controversy surrounding his long-standing ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Officials said Mandelson’s connection with Epstein had become a distraction for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is already under political pressure. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that the prime minister instructed the foreign secretary to withdraw Mandelson from his role following the emergence of additional evidence in private emails.
The UK government also stressed it had not been aware of the extent of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein when he was appointed to the Washington post. “The emails show that the scope and depth of Mandelson’s association with Epstein were significantly different from what was known at the time of his appointment,” the statement said.
The decision came after The Sun and Bloomberg published email exchanges indicating Mandelson had advised Epstein to seek an early release when he faced prosecution for soliciting a minor. One email suggested Mandelson even questioned the legitimacy of Epstein’s first conviction.
Mandelson’s Letters to Epstein
The controversy deepened after previously undisclosed correspondence revealed Mandelson’s close relationship with Epstein. Dubbed the “Prince of Darkness” for his political maneuvering during the Labour governments under Tony Blair, Mandelson had already faced criticism when a birthday book released by US Democrats highlighted his ties to Epstein.
The book contained a letter where Mandelson referred to Epstein as “my best pal.” In other emails, the veteran Labour figure assured Epstein that he was “following you closely and here whenever you need” and urged him to “remember the Art of War” when dealing with legal challenges.
Shortly before Epstein began serving an 18-month sentence for procuring a minor for prostitution, Mandelson encouraged him to “fight for early release” and added, “I think the world of you.”
On Wednesday, Mandelson expressed regret over his association with Epstein, admitting that he continued the relationship “for far longer than I should have done.”