British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sacked Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States following revelations about his association with late convicted child sexual abuser and businessman Jeffrey Epstein, foreign office minister Stephen Doughty informed MPs.

His departure will be a huge blow for No. 10 as it prepares a state visit for US president Donald Trump, who is facing his own demons about his once close friendship with Epstein.

PM Starmer had stood behind Mandelson after appointing him as US ambassador earlier this year, insisting that he had been fully vetted. However, Mandelson faced overwhelming pressure to go after it emerged that he told Epstein to fight for an early release from jail as the disgraced financier faced an 18-month sentence for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute in 2008, though this is widely acknowledged to merely be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his crimes. His mysterious death in a New York prison in 2019, apparently from suicide, has added further layers to the mystery.

E-mails related to the matter were published by the Sun after circulating in Washington DC, hours after Mandelson admitted on Tuesday that more “very embarrassing” details of his friendship with Epstein were likely to emerge. He insisted, however, he had never witnessed any “wrongdoing”.

In an email from June 2008, which was not disputed by his spokesperson, Mandelson wrote to Epstein: “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... Everything can be turned into an opportunity and that you will come through it and be stronger for it.”

The friendship between the two men came under renewed spotlight after Democrat members of the US House Oversight Committee released Epstein’s 50th 'birthday book', in which Mandelson called him “my best pal” in a handwritten note.

The Epstein scandal has exposed a vast and troubling network of sexual abuse, exploitation, and power dynamics involving some of the world’s most influential figures.

Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, used his wealth and connections to prey on underage girls, with his network allegedly spanning high-profile individuals from the worlds of politics, business, and entertainment. His arrest in July 2019 reignited global outrage over his criminal activities, which had been widely known but not fully addressed until then.

His apparent suicide in a jail cell just a month later only deepened the suspicion and controversy, sparking theories about potential cover-ups and the involvement of powerful figures with close ties to him.

Epstein's crimes are central to the broader issue of elite exploitation, where wealthy and powerful individuals are often shielded from legal consequences.

His connections included high-ranking politicians, business magnates, and members of royalty — all of whom have faced allegations of involvement or complicity. Among the most notable such figures are former US President Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew of Britain, and financier Les Wexner, all of whom had known Epstein and reportedly visited his private island in the Caribbean, where much of the abuse took place.

The case also highlights the vulnerability of underage women and girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who were targeted by Epstein’s operation. Investigations have revealed a pattern of grooming, manipulation, and coercion, with many of Epstein's victims left with lasting trauma.

The scandal raises questions about the lack of accountability in systems that allow wealthy individuals to wield disproportionate influence, and the failure of institutions — from law enforcement to political structures — to act decisively. It remains a stark reminder of the systemic inequalities that persist in the fight for justice.

With agency inputs