Lord Peter Mandelson has been withdrawn as Britain’s ambassador to the United States with immediate effect after newly published emails showed a closer and more supportive relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein than was known at the time of his appointment, the Foreign Office said.
The Foreign Office said the messages show "the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment." It added that Mandelson’s suggestion that Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged constituted new information and that the decision, requested by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, was made in light of that and out of consideration for the victims of Epstein’s crimes.
The emails, excerpts of which were published by Bloomberg and tabloid outlets this week, include messages sent in June 2008 when Epstein was facing prosecution in Florida. Reports say Mandelson told Epstein to "fight for early release" shortly before Epstein was sentenced to 18 months after pleading to two counts of soliciting a minor for prostitution, and that he wrote "I think the world of you" the day before Epstein began that sentence. Other reporting said previously published material included personal photographs and references to travel on Epstein's aircraft and stays at his properties.
Downing Street had defended the appointment earlier in the week and Sir Keir told MPs he had confidence in Mandelson, who was appointed ambassador in December. The Prime Minister’s office and government officials said the decision to withdraw Mandelson followed fresh material emerging from archived email accounts that had not been available during the original vetting process. A Downing Street spokesman said the newly disclosed content changed the understanding of the relationship and warranted immediate action.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told the House of Commons that the Prime Minister had asked the Foreign Secretary to withdraw Mandelson after the additional information became available. The Commons was informed that James Roscoe, the deputy head of mission at the British Embassy in Washington and a former UK ambassador to the United Nations, has been appointed interim ambassador with immediate effect.
Mandelson, a Labour peer and senior party figure, had acknowledged a relationship with Epstein in recent statements and expressed "deep regret" over his association, according to reporting. The emergence of the emails prompted cross-party criticism and calls from MPs for further explanation. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the episode was a failure of Sir Keir’s leadership, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on the Prime Minister to appear before Parliament to explain why Mandelson had been appointed given what the government knew at the time.
Home Office minister Mike Tapp told Sky News it was important that "we have full answers" on the nature of the association, and some MPs have demanded that Mandelson be questioned by parliamentary committees. Labour MPs also expressed concern on the party benches, with one committee chair saying that officials had previously blocked questions about Mandelson’s appointment.
The timing of the withdrawal presents a potential diplomatic complication with a state visit by US President Donald Trump due next week. Mandelson had served as a senior interlocutor between the Prime Minister and the White House and had been expected to play a role during parts of the visit, including attendance at a state banquet. Officials said the interim appointment of Roscoe was intended to ensure continuity of diplomatic engagement in Washington.
The controversy has renewed scrutiny of the vetting process for senior diplomatic appointments. Government sources said that some of the emails were held in an old account and had not been available to security and vetting teams when Mandelson was put forward for the post. Downing Street has declined to comment on whether any steps will be taken regarding Mandelson’s status in the House of Lords.
Jeffrey Epstein was first convicted in Florida in 2008 on charges of procuring a girl under 18 for prostitution and served an 18-month sentence. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal charges alleging sex trafficking of minors and later died in a US jail cell while awaiting trial. The Foreign Office statement cited the welfare of Epstein’s victims in explaining the decision to withdraw Mandelson.
The Labour Party said it would co-operate with any parliamentary inquiries and indicated it would consider requests for access to relevant material. Officials said the decision to remove Mandelson from the ambassadorial post was reached after a meeting between the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who concluded the position had become "untenable" in light of the new material.
The appointment of Roscoe, who has served in Washington as deputy head of mission and previously as the UK’s permanent representative to the United Nations, was announced to provide immediate leadership at the embassy and to manage relations ahead of the incoming US presidential visit. Questions about the full content of the emails and whether further revelations will follow are likely to keep the matter under parliamentary scrutiny in the coming days.
Officials said the matter remains subject to internal review and that any further steps will take into account legal and security advice as well as consideration for victims. Parliament is expected to press ministers for fuller disclosure about what was known during the appointment process and why the newly surfaced material was not apparent to vetting authorities prior to Mandelson’s selection.