British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sept. 11 fired the country’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, after correspondence came to light revealing the extent of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
London’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement announcing his dismissal that he was being withdrawn “in light of the additional information in emails” written by the diplomat.
In emails published by The Sun and Bloomberg on Wednesday, Mandelson described the convicted sex offender as his “best pal” and suggested that Epstein’s first conviction in 2008 was “wrongful and should be challenged.”
“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 FCDO said. “In particular Peter Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information. In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein’s crimes, he has been withdrawn as Ambassador with immediate effect.”…