The UK government has dismissed Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States following explosive revelations about his long-standing ties with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed on Thursday.
Mandelson, a seasoned Labour politician who rose to prominence under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, was already under scrutiny over his links with Epstein. But the release of private correspondence and a controversial birthday album has deepened concerns about the nature of their relationship.
“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,” the FCDO said.
“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.”
On Wednesday, The Sun published a trove of emails in which Mandelson appeared to support Epstein shortly before his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
“I think the world of you,” Mandelson wrote to Epstein, urging him to “fight for early release” and adding, “I can still barely understand it. It just could not happen in Britain. You have to be incredibly resilient, fight for early release and be philosophical about it as much as you can.”
The emails, coupled with a 2003 birthday album released by Democrats on the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, further revealed Mandelson describing Epstein as “my best pal” in a handwritten note.
The revelations have shaken political circles in both the UK and the US, reigniting debates over elite connections to Epstein, who is believed to have abused hundreds of underage girls.
Facing sharp questioning from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended Mandelson’s appointment, insisting that “full due process was gone through.”
Still, critics argue the government ignored red flags. Epstein had reportedly referred to Mandelson by the nickname “Petie,” highlighting how close the two men appeared to be.
This scandal adds to Mandelson’s long history of political controversy. The 71-year-old was previously forced to resign from ministerial posts in 1998 and 2001 over alleged misconduct. His political career has also been overshadowed by links to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
The Epstein case continues to cast a shadow in Washington as well. US President Donald Trump, who once publicly pushed for the release of Epstein files, now faces scrutiny over a bizarre letter tied to the late financier.
House Democrats this week released a copy of a birthday letter allegedly signed by Trump, included in Epstein’s 2003 birthday album. The letter features a sketch of a naked woman with Trump’s signature placed in an explicit location.
The White House has strongly denied the letter’s authenticity, while Trump is pursuing a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the document in July.
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