Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, was fired after newly revealed emails showed him expressing support for Jeffrey Epstein.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday dismissed Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, after emails surfaced showing him expressing support for Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told Parliament the messages revealed a “materially different” relationship than was known when Mandelson was appointed last year. In one 2008 email, Mandelson reportedly described Epstein’s conviction as “wrongful” and urged him to “fight for early release.” He also called Epstein “my best pal” in a birthday album later published by Democrats in Congress.
The revelations, first reported by The Sun, prompted Mandelson’s suspension and immediate replacement by deputy ambassador James Roscoe ahead of President Donald Trump’s state visit to London next week.
Mandelson, a former Labour minister twice forced to resign under Tony Blair, expressed regret for his links to Epstein but said he was unaware of his criminal activity. Epstein died in prison in 2019.