UK Dismisses Ambassador to US over Epstein Scandal Ties

Britain has dismissed its ambassador to the United States, Lord Peter Mandelson, following revelations about his links to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The announcement was made in the House of Commons on Thursday by Stephen Doughty, Minister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign Office.

He confirmed that the Prime Minister had requested Mandelson’s removal in light of ongoing reports connecting him to Epstein.

Pressure for Mandelson’s dismissal had intensified this week after Labor MPs called for action, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph. The controversy stems from allegations that Mandelson worked with Epstein on a £1 billion business deal even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for offences involving minors.

Epstein, who was convicted in 2019 of sex trafficking and child exploitation, has remained a highly controversial figure with global political and financial connections.

Labor MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy urged that Mandelson be referred to the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus. Fellow Labor MP Kim Johnson of Liverpool Riverside argued that Mandelson was complicit and should never have been appointed to the diplomatic role.

The Liberal Democrats have also demanded an investigation into whether Mandelson breached the diplomatic code of conduct.