Keir Starmer has dismissed Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States after new details surfaced about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

The Foreign Office said the move followed “additional information” from emails showing Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was “materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.”

Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty highlighted the emails containing the suggestion that Epstein’s first conviction “was wrongful and should be challenged” is the “new information” that led to Mandelson’s sacking.

Only a day earlier, at Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer had defended Mandelson, saying he had confidence in him, but pressure mounted after U.S. lawmakers released documents, including a letter where Mandelson referred to Epstein as his “best pal” and warned of more “embarrassing” correspondence to come.

The affair leaves questions about what Prime Minister Starmer knew and when, according to BBC political editor Henry Zeffman.

Mandelson had played a significant role as a go-between for Starmer and Donald Trump during a key phase in UK-US diplomacy and trade negotiations.

Source: BBC.