Peter Mandelson sacked as US ambassador over Epstein emails

Peter Mandelson has been sacked as US ambassador after it was revealed he said paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein’s conviction was wrongful in previously unreleased emails.

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs Mandelson had been asked to withdraw from his role after emails published by Bloomberg showed “ that the depth and extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.

“In particular, Lord Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information,” Doughty said.

“And in light of that I’m mindful, as we all are, of the victims of Epstein’s appalling crimes, and he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect.”

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It came after former frontbencher Andy McDonald said Mandelson must “quit or be fired”.

“To have sympathy for Jeffrey Epstein is just totally remarkable.

“It shows a colossal loss of judgement, and Peter Mandelson’s got to recognise that, do the right thing, and quit or be fired.”

McDonald was one of at least six Labour MPs to call for Keir Starmer to sack the US ambassador, but it was clear that disquiet in the party was mounting about the depth of Mandelson’s connections to Epstein, including birthday letters and supportive emails.

Significantly, immigration minister Mike Tapp said Mandelson’s messages to Epstein were “disturbing and sickening”, and refused to say if the Prime Minister would retain confidence in the ambassador.

“I can’t say. I’m not the Prime Minister.”

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Reacting to Mandelson’s sacking, Luke Hurst, National Coordinator at Andy Burnham backed campaign group Mainstream, suggested it was symptomatic of Starmer’s “brittle political project”.

“Mandelson’s inevitable sacking is what happens when you put your party faction’s interest before your party and before the country.

“If Starmer keeps running a narrow and brittle political project, it will break him and could break the Labour Party. We need a government and party of all the talents and all the views”.

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