Starmer sacks Mandelson as US ambassador over undisclosed Epstein emails

Political Reporter
National Press Corporation(NPC) UK,
United Kingdom—Prime Minister Keir Starmer has dismissed Peter Mandelson from his role as the UK’s ambassador to the United States after newly released emails revealed previously undisclosed ties with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Foreign Office said the decision was taken “in light of additional information” contained in correspondence between the two men. Officials said the emails demonstrated 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 development is a serious blow for Mr Starmer, who as recently as Wednesday insisted at Prime Minister’s Questions that he had “confidence” in Mandelson when pressed about his appointment.

Questions are now mounting over what the prime minister knew, and when.

In recent days, US lawmakers released a cache of documents, including a letter in which Mandelson referred to Epstein, the convicted paedophile who died in 2019, as his “best pal”. In the same note, Mandelson warned that further “embarrassing” correspondence was likely to emerge.

Mandelson, a long-time figure in Labour politics, had been seen as a crucial intermediary between Starmer and Donald Trump at a sensitive moment for US-UK relations. His removal leaves a significant gap in Britain’s Washington presence.

Labour MP Jo White described reading the correspondence as “sickening.” She said Mandelson had made “very poor choices and decisions” and welcomed the prime minister’s decision to act swiftly.

“The issue is that Peter Mandelson was not open and honest with the PM and was more focused on his own career,” she said, adding that she did not believe Starmer would ever have appointed him had the full extent of his Epstein links been known.

The fallout is expected to intensify scrutiny of Starmer’s judgement at a time when his government faces pressure on several fronts.