Keir Starmer has sacked Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, following revelations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, Foreign Secretary Stephen Doughty announced to MPs.

Mandelson’s departure is considered a significant setback for No. 10 Downing Street, coming just as preparations are underway for the official visit of US President Donald Trump, who himself faces criticism over ties to the late convicted sex offender.

The British prime minister had defended Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador, insisting that he had undergone a full vetting process. However, pressure mounted after it emerged that Mandelson had advised Epstein on seeking early release while facing sex crime charges.

The Emails That Led to the Dismissal
The emails containing these revelations were published by The Sun just hours after Mandelson admitted that more “deeply uncomfortable” details about his friendship with Epstein might come to light. Still, he maintained that he had never witnessed any “illegal activity.”

In one email from June 2008, which his spokesperson did not dispute, Mandelson wrote to Epstein: “I value you greatly and feel powerless and angry about what has happened.” He also told him that such a thing would never have happened in Britain. “You must show great resilience, fight to secure early release, and try to view it, as much as possible, in a philosophical light. Everything can become an opportunity, and you can emerge stronger from this experience.”

The friendship between the two men resurfaced after Epstein’s “birthday book” was released by members of the US Congressional Democratic Oversight Committee. It included a handwritten note in which Mandelson referred to Epstein as his “best friend.”