London — Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States on Thursday, after a trove of emails revealed a close and troubling relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson, a veteran Labour strategist known for his behind-the-scenes influence over three decades, had held Britain’s most coveted diplomatic post. The revelations included letters in which Mandelson referred to Epstein as “my best pal” and advised him to seek early release in 2008 following his conviction for soliciting a minor.
“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,” Britain’s Foreign Ministry said, confirming the ambassador’s removal at Starmer’s request.
Starmer, whose government has faced multiple political setbacks and sagging polls, had initially backed Mandelson even as a state visit by U.S. President Donald Trump loomed — a visit complicated by the president’s own questioned ties to Epstein.
Mandelson issued a statement of regret, acknowledging that he had “carried on the association for far longer than I should have done.” Despite his decades of political triumphs, including shaping Labour’s successes under Tony Blair and negotiating key U.S. trade agreements, Mandelson was no stranger to controversy.
The dismissal comes on the heels of a turbulent week for Starmer, who oversaw a cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner over her tax affairs. With economic growth stagnant and a rising populist challenge from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, Starmer’s leadership faces heightened scrutiny.
For Mandelson, a figure long entwined with Britain’s political machinery, the abrupt exit from Washington underscores how swiftly past associations can overshadow even a storied career in public service.
