Starmer under fire as Mandelson sacked in wake of Epstein revelations
Peer says he “deeply regrets” circumstances of departure as opponents question who knew what and when at Downing Street
Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire for appointing Lord Peter Mandelson ambassador to the US after he sacked the Labour grandee over his close relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Prime Minister, who picked the peer to be the UK’s representative in Washington, made the decision to withdraw him after emails showed he sent supportive messages even as Epstein faced jail for sex offences.
Lord Mandelson said “I deeply regret” the circumstances of his departure from the British embassy in Washington.
“Being Ambassador here has been the privilege of my life,” he reportedly wrote in a letter to embassy staff.
“The circumstances surrounding the announcement today are ones which I deeply regret. I continue to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein 20 years ago and the plight of his victims.
“I have no alternative to accepting the Prime Minister’s decision and will leave a position in which I have been so incredibly honoured to serve.”
He added that “we leave the relationship with the US in a really good condition, with a magnificent state visit and the new US-UK Technology Partnership – my personal pride and joy that will help write the next chapter of the special relationship – set for next week”.
He has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect.
The Foreign Office said the emails showed “the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.
‘I think the world of you’
Lord Mandelson is reported to have told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and told him, “I think the world of you” the day before he began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.
The Prime Minister had defended Lord Mandelson until the emergence of the emails, insisting he had gone through a proper vetting process and had helped build a successful relationship with Donald Trump’s White House.
Lord Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein had been known about, but Bloomberg and The Sun newspaper published emails showing that the relationship continued after the crimes committed by the financier had emerged.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs that information had not been known when Lord Mandelson was appointed.
He told MPs the emails showed “the depth and extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.
He added: “In particular, Lord Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information.
“And in light of that, and mindful as we all are of the victims of Epstein’s appalling crimes, he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect.”
The cache of emails obtained by Bloomberg showed that on the day before Epstein reported to jail in June 2008, Lord Mandelson told him “your friends stay with you and love you”.
He said: “You have to be incredibly resilient, fight for early release and be philosophical about it as much as you can.
“The whole thing has been years of torture and now you have to show the world how big a person you are and how strong.”
Lord Mandelson’s position had appeared increasingly precarious after the release of the emails drew public criticism from members of the government.
Streeting ‘completely disgusted’
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he was “completely disgusted” by the messages, while Home Office minister Mike Tapp said they “really disturbing and sickening”.
Asked whether Sir Keir felt the same, Downing Street said it was “self-evident” that the Prime Minister found the emails “reprehensible”.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman would not say whether Lord Mandelson had misled the vetting process for his appointment as US ambassador.
Asked whether No 10 ignored security concerns reportedly flagged by security services before the appointment, he said: “No 10 was not involved in the security vetting process. This is managed at departmental level by the agency responsible and any suggestion that No 10 was involved is untrue.”
But the timing of his sacking causes a diplomatic headache ahead of Donald Trump’s state visit next week, with the US president facing questions over his own ties with Epstein.
James Roscoe will be the interim ambassador to the US and has taken over with immediate effect.
He was made deputy head of mission at the British Embassy in Washington in July 2022 and before that was UK ambassador to the UN General Assembly from 2019.
Mr Roscoe also previously worked as the late Queen Elizabeth II’s communications director and as chief press officer at No 10 under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
The Conservatives called for full disclosure on who in No 10 knew what about Lord Mandelson’s links with Epstein.
Demand for papers publication
The Opposition demanded the publication of all papers and communications between Downing Street – including Sir Keir’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney – and Lord Mandelson regarding his appointment, along with any relevant vetting documents.
Shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Alex Burghart, said: “Keir Starmer, Morgan McSweeney and the Labour Government have serious questions to answer.
“The Prime Minister must come clean on exactly what he knew and when. The Government must immediately publish the Mandelson files in full.”
In the House of Commons, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “I do not know what it is about the decades of scandals and being best friends with a notorious child trafficker and paedophile, which should have got some alarm bells ringing in number 10 before this decision was taken.”
He added: “Did the Prime Minister know about these emails prior to standing up in that despatch box just yesterday to say he had confidence in Mr Mandelson, and does he retain the Labour whip in the House of Lords?”
Mr Doughty said the government “will keep the House updated on these matters”, adding: “That decisive decision has been has been made, and as I’ve been very, very clear, all candidates are subject to routine, extensive vetting and background checks.”
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