U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Britain’s Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson after announcing a trade deal with the U.K., in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 8, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sacked the country’s ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, over the envoy’s friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mr. Mandelson’s departure was announced on Friday, just days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s State visit to the U.K.
“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 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,” the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement.
Also Read | Trump says he ended friendship with Epstein because he ‘stole people that worked for me’
That Mr. Mandelson had links with Mr. Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, was known before his appointment to the role in Washington months ago.
Additional details of Mr. Mandelson’s relationship with Mr. Epstein emerged after Democrats in the U.S. released pages form Mr Epstein’s 50th birthday book, put together in 2003. Democrats in the U.S. Congress have been attempting to get the Trump administration to release the files the U.S. government has on Mr Epstein. The issue has become a political flashpoint, focused on the nature of Mr Trump’s links with Mr Epstein. The White House has denied that a sexually suggestive message in Mr Epstein’s 50th birthday book, purportedly signed by Mr Trump, was actually signed by him.
Mr. Mandelson refers to Mr. Epstein as his “best pal” in the book.
Also Read | What do we know about the Jeffrey Epstein files?
The Sun newspaper reported that Mr. Mandelson had suggested to Mr. Epstein that the latter’s conviction of child prostitution in 2008 was wrong.
“I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened,” Mr. Mandelson had reportedly told Mr. Epstein.
The former envoy said earlier this week in a interview that he regretted “very, very deeply” the length of his association with Mr. Epstein , adding, however, that he never witnessed any “wrongdoing”.
Also Read | Democrats release suggestive birthday letter to Epstein purportedly signed by Trump, which he denies
The sacking of Mr. Mandelson makes to Mr. Starmer’s political vulnerability. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, a staunch ally of Mr. Starmer, resigned days ago over not having paid enough tax on a house, leading to a Cabinet reshuffle.
Conservative Party chief and the Leader of the Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch had called Mr. Mandelson’s position “untenable” on Wednesday (September 10, 2025) and called for him to be fired.
“There are now serious questions over what Starmer knew and when. We deserve to know,” she said on Thursday (September 11, 2025), posting on social media site X.
Published – September 11, 2025 05:44 pm IST
