The United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, has been removed from his position in the Labour government at the direction of U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after new information came to light regarding his “relationship” with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“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,” read a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday. “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.”
Honing in on a specific aspect of the exchanges between Mandelson and Epstein, the statement continued: “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 In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein’s crimes he has been withdrawn as Ambassador with immediate effect.”
Newly-uncovered emails show messages of support from Lord Mandelson to Epstein whilst he was facing charges of soliciting a minor in June 2008. “Your friends stay with you and love you,” Mandelson is quoted as saying in one of more than 100 messages sent between the pair from 2005 to 2010.
“I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened… I can still barely understand it. It just could not happen in Britain. You have to be incredibly resilient, fight for early release, and be philosophical about it as much as you can,” Mandelson is quoted as writing in another email.
Read More: Epstein Victims Call on Congress to Release Files
Stephen Doughty, Minister of State of the United Kingdom for Europe and North America, made the announcement of Mandelson’s removal in the House of Commons on Thursday, amid mounting pressure on Starmer to take action following the resurfaced emails.
Mandelson’s name also featured heavily in Epstein’s newly-released “birthday book,” which publicized letters of well wishes said to be sent from various high-profile figures, including President Donald Trump, marking the occasion of Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003.
Amid growing calls for Congress to release the full Epstein files, the White House staunchly denied that Trump wrote Epstein a birthday note, but stopped short of calling the documents fake.
In his birthday note, Mandelson referred to Epstein as “my best pal.”
Mandelson previously told the Financial Times: “I regret ever meeting him or being introduced to him by his partner Ghislaine Maxwell.” [Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.]
In an interview with The Sun earlier this week, Mandelson echoed this sentiment, saying: “I feel a tremendous sense of regret not only that I met him [Epstein] in the first place, but that I continued the association and I took at face value the lies that he fed me and many others.”
Read More: House Panel Releases Note From Epstein ‘Birthday Book’ Trump Denies Writing
TIME has reached out to the House of Lords and the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.
Starmer’s decision to remove Mandelson marks a sharp turn from his previous statements.
When leader of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch called the communications between Mandelson and Epstein “sickening” on Wednesday and demanded for him to be fired, Starmer said: “The Ambassador has repeatedly expressed his deep regret for his association with him. I have confidence in him and he’s playing an important role in the U.K.-U.S. relationship.”
Following Mandelson’s dismissal, Badenoch reinforced her criticism of Starmer, saying that he had “failed yet another key test of leadership.”
“He gave his full backing to a man unfit for office,” said Badenoch on Thursday.
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