Mandelson sacked as ambassador to US over Epstein links

Lord Mandelson has been sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US, following fresh revelations about his links to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The Foreign Office said the move followed the emergence of emails showing “the depth and extent” of the pair’s relationship was “materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.

The PM was under mounting pressure to dismiss his ambassador, following the publication of messages he exchanged with Epstein in 2008, while the financier was facing charges for soliciting sex with a minor.

On Wednesday Lord Mandelson said he “foolishly” relied on assurances of Epstein’s innocence, “which I regret to this day”.

In a statement the Foreign Office said: “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.

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 In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein’s crimes he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect.”

In emails published by the Sun and Bloomberg on Wednesday, 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 decision to sack Lord Mandelson was made at a meeting on Thursday morning between the prime minister and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, the BBC understands.

The BBC has been told the information published on Wednesday evening was not available to those in government when Lord Mandelson was appointed, as they came from what has been described as a “long closed” email address.

Lord Mandelson also did not have access to them and the PM reviewed the material last night.

Those in government continue to insist the normal vetting process was followed during the appointment process of the ambassador.

Lord Mandelson has been in and out of British politics for four decades and was instrumental in the New Labour project which saw Tony Blair win the 1997 election with a huge landslide.

He was a minister in different departments in the government until 2010, when Labour lost power and during that time earned a reputation for bouncing back after twice being forced to resign his ministerial positions.

He had generally been seen as doing a good job as ambassador to the US, not least because of his ability to work with the Trump administration.

However, questions over his past friendship with Epstein have dogged him since his appointment.