Mandelson sacked over Epstein scandal

Lord Mandelson has been sacked as Britain’s ambassador to the US following damaging new revelations about his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Sir Keir Starmer ordered his removal days after it emerged the Labour grandee had referred to the disgraced financier as his “best pal” in notes written for a book on Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003.

A Telegraph investigation disclosed that Lord Mandelson had worked with Epstein on a £1billion business deal, while he was a government minister, after the late paedophile’s conviction for child sex offences.

When the new revelations about the ambassador broke, Sir Keir stood by him, saying he had full confidence in the peer.

But on Wednesday, leaked emails revealed that Lord Mandelson had advised Epstein how to respond when facing criminal charges over soliciting a minor in 2008.

In a statement released this morning, the Foreign Office said: “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.

“In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein’s crimes he has been withdrawn as Ambassador with immediate effect.”

The Prime Minister was forced to ask him to step down just a week after Angela Rayner quit as deputy prime minister following Telegraph revelations about her tax-dodging.

His decision to stick with the ambassador for so long will raise further questions about his judgement in appointing him in the first place.

It comes just days before Donald Trump, who was also named in the cache of Epstein documents, is set to arrive in the UK on his second State visit.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]