Keir Starmer Sacks UK Ambassador To US After Jeffrey Epstein Emails Surface, Row Erupts In Parliament

<p>United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday dismissed Britain&rsquo;s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, following the emergence of emails linking him more closely to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.</p>
<p>Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told the House of Commons on Thursday that the decision was taken after new details came to light.</p>
<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; the Foreign Office said in a statement.</p>
<p>The ministry noted that &ldquo;the emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson&rsquo;s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.&rdquo;</p>
<h3><strong>Emails Published by The Sun</strong></h3>
<p>The Sun newspaper published emails on Wednesday that allegedly revealed Mandelson urging Epstein to &ldquo;fight for early release&rdquo; before his sentencing in 2008. Epstein, convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor, was handed an 18-month prison term.</p>
<p>In one of the communications, Mandelson reportedly wrote to Epstein: &ldquo;I think the world of you.&rdquo;</p>
<h3 data-start=”2203″ data-end=”2241″><strong>Starmer Faces Questions in Parliament</strong></h3>
<p data-start=”2242″ data-end=”2632″>At Prime Minister&rsquo;s Questions, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch pressed Starmer repeatedly on whether he had confidence in Mandelson and whether he knew of the ambassador&rsquo;s close ties with Epstein. She cited a Daily Telegraph article alleging Mandelson brokered a deal with Epstein while serving as business secretary and called on the government to release documents related to his appointment, BBC reported.</p>
<p data-start=”2634″ data-end=”2906″>Starmer maintained that he had &ldquo;confidence&rdquo; in Mandelson at the time and insisted &ldquo;due process&rdquo; had been followed. He added that Epstein&rsquo;s victims remained &ldquo;at the forefront of our minds&rdquo; and noted Mandelson had already expressed regret for his association with Epstein.</p>
<p data-start=”2908″ data-end=”3342″>Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey also demanded answers, asking what other material the Trump administration might hold on Mandelson. Following the dismissal, Davey said Starmer must &ldquo;come before Parliament and explain why Lord Mandelson was appointed in the first place, given everything the Government knew then.&rdquo; He urged the prime minister to name an ambassador who would &ldquo;stand up to Trump, not cosy up to him and his cronies.&rdquo;</p>
<p data-start=”3369″ data-end=”3515″>Mandelson has previously acknowledged feeling &ldquo;a tremendous sense of regret&rdquo; for taking &ldquo;at face value the lies that he fed me and many others.&rdquo;</p>
<p data-start=”3517″ data-end=”3768″>According to BBC, UK Government sources continue to insist that Mandelson&rsquo;s appointment went through the standard vetting process and that the newly surfaced emails came from a &ldquo;long closed&rdquo; account that neither officials nor Mandelson himself had access to at the time.</p>
<p data-start=”3770″ data-end=”3896″>The revelations and subsequent sacking mark one of the sharpest political blows to Starmer&rsquo;s government since taking office.</p>
<p>The disclosures coincided with the release of a 50th birthday album for Epstein, made public by Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee. The album, compiled in 2003, included a handwritten note from Mandelson describing Epstein as &ldquo;my best pal.&rdquo;</p>
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