Lord Peter Mandelson’s dismissal follows the disclosure of a birthday “love letter” and further emails to Jeffrey Epstein.
The UK government has recalled Lord Peter Mandelson from his post as ambassador to the US. This decision, announced by the Foreign Office on Thursday, comes after the review of newly revealed emails concerning his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased financier and convicted sex offender.
According to British media reports on Wednesday, the emails show Mandelson expressing strong support for Epstein after his indictment on sex offense charges. In the emails, Mandelson assured Epstein that his “friends stay with you and love you.”
The Foreign Office stated, “The emails demonstrate that the nature and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein are significantly different from what was previously understood at the time of his appointment.” They added, “Mandelson’s assertion that Jeffrey Epstein’s initial conviction was unjust and should be challenged is new information.”
The publication of these emails proved fatal to Mandelson’s position, which was already weakened by the controversy surrounding Epstein’s 50th birthday book. This extensive compilation, put together by Ghislaine Maxwell, a long-time associate of Epstein, included messages from friends and acquaintances, notably a 10-page letter from the former British ambassador.
This ambiguous letter, accompanied by photographs, describes Epstein as Mandelson’s “best pal” and characterizes him as “intelligent, sharp-witted,” and “mysterious.”
“You would often wait for hours for him to arrive… and just as you grew accustomed to his presence, you would find yourself alone again… left with some ‘interesting’ friends to entertain,” one passage reads.
After the “love letter” surfaced, British PM Keir Starmer initially supported Mandelson, acknowledging his “key role” in recent UK-US relations. Mandelson has repeatedly expressed regret for his association with Epstein, admitting that he maintained contact “for far longer than I should have done” after the emails came to light and portraying himself as a victim of a “charismatic criminal liar.”
The diplomat’s ultimate removal occurs just days before US President Donald Trump is scheduled to make a state visit to the UK.