Prime Minister Keir Starmer has removed Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States following fresh revelations about his ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Foreign Office said on Friday that the dismissal was based on “additional information” from private emails indicating Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was “materially different” from what was understood when he was appointed.
The move comes just days after Starmer defended Mandelson in Parliament. Pressure mounted, however, after US lawmakers released documents, including a letter in which Mandelson referred to Epstein as his “best pal.”
The correspondence, first reported by outlets including The Sun, also suggested Mandelson had privately encouraged Epstein to seek early release from prison and maintained contact with individuals connected to Epstein’s defence. References were made to Jay Lefkowitz, one of Epstein’s lawyers and a senior adviser in George W. Bush’s administration, though a spokesman for the former president denied any involvement.
While Mandelson has denied viewing Epstein’s conviction as wrongful, he admitted believing his friend’s account at the time. His dismissal has sparked renewed debate about Starmer’s judgment and how much he knew of Mandelson’s connections when making the appointment.
