Starmer fires ambassador in Washington after revelations about Epstein.

247 - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday (11) the dismissal of Peter Mandelson from his post as British ambassador to Washington. The decision came hours after the Bloomberg to reveal more than 100 previously unseen emails between Mandelson and financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019 and had been convicted of sex crimes against minors.

According to a Bloomberg report, the documents revealed the close relationship between Mandelson and Epstein, including a message sent in June 2008, on the eve of the financier's arrest in Florida. In it, Mandelson wrote: “I think the world of you” (“I think the world belongs to you”) and offered political help to handle the case with his contacts. The gesture was interpreted by the government as a sign of support for Epstein at a critical moment.

Political pressure and official reaction

The British Foreign Office announced that the dismissal occurred after it was found that Mandelson had suggested that Epstein's first conviction was unjust and should be challenged. "In light of this, and out of respect for the victims of Epstein's crimes, he has been removed from his post as ambassador with immediate effect," the office said in a statement.

In the House of Commons, Minister Stephen Doughty confirmed that the measure was personally determined by Starmer. The Prime Minister's official spokesperson, Tom Wells, reinforced that the content of the emails was considered "reprehensible".

Compromising connections

Mandelson's situation had been deteriorating since the beginning of the week, when it became public that he had described Epstein as his "best friend" in a so-called "birthday book"—a document obtained by Democratic lawmakers in the United States as part of investigations into the financier's connections.

This same material also brought to light a controversy involving the current President of the United States, Donald Trump. Among the images, there is a sexually suggestive message attributed to Trump, written over the outline of a female body. The White House denied the authenticity of the message, stating that the image was falsified.

Diplomatic crisis on the eve of Trump's visit.

The crisis erupts just a week before Donald Trump's state visit to the United Kingdom, scheduled for September 17-19. The meeting, arranged by Starmer and Mandelson himself, would include a gala banquet hosted by King Charles III.

The ambassador's departure puts the British government in a delicate position, as Conservative MP Neil O'Brien pointed out: "You have placed our ambassador at the center of Washington's biggest political scandal."

Until a permanent replacement is named, James Roscoe, the chargé d'affaires in Washington, will assume the role on an interim basis. Among the possible successors is former ambassador Karen Pierce, a career diplomat who maintained good relations with the Trump administration during its first term.

Internal disagreements within the Labour Party

Starmer's decision also responded to growing pressure from Labour MPs. MP Andy McDonald was categorical in stating: "Having sympathy for Jeffrey Epstein shows a colossal loss of judgment, and Peter Mandelson needs to resign or be dismissed." Bell Ribeiro-Addy called for an ethics investigation into Mandelson's ties with the financier.

In an interview with The Sun newspaper, Mandelson admitted regret: "I deeply regret maintaining this association for much longer than I should have, and I regret believing his lies."

The resignation, however, opens a new chapter of diplomatic tension between London and Washington, with the potential for direct repercussions on Trump's visit, which comes at a crucial moment for bilateral relations.