LONDON: UK leader Keir Starmer sacked his ambassador in Washington Peter Mandelson on Thursday following fresh revelations about the diplomat's friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Dubbed the "Prince of Darkness" during his years as a media spin doctor, Mandelson was twice forced to resign from Tony Blair's Labour government in the late 1990s and early 2000s over allegations of misconduct.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said the prime minister had asked Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to withdraw Mandelson as ambassador "in light" of newly revealed emails he wrote to Epstein.
"The emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment," said the statement.
"In particular Peter Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein's first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information.
"In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein's crimes he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect."
The sacking came after The Sun newspaper and Bloomberg reported that Mandelson sent supportive messages to Epstein while the financier was being investigated in the United States for sexual offences in 2008.
In emails, the Labour party grandee told Epstein he was "following you closely and here whenever you need" and urged him to "remember the Art of War" when dealing with prosecutors.
Mandelson also reportedly told Epstein to "fight for early release" shortly before he received an 18-month sentence for admitting procuring a child for prostitution.
"I think the world of you," Mandelson, a former Labour minister, ex-European trade commissioner and political spinner, wrote the day before Epstein began his sentence.
Following the reports, the 71-year-old Mandelson told the BBC that he "relied on assurances of his innocence that turned out later to be horrendously false".
'Best pal'
"His lawyers claimed that it was a shake down of him, a criminal conspiracy. I foolishly relied on their word which I regret to this day," he added.
The high-profile sacking comes just a week before US President Donald Trump is due to pay a state visit to Britain.
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition Conservative party, had called Mandelson's position "untenable".
And at least three Labour MPs had publicly urged Starmer to act, including Andy McDonald, who said Mandelson "should go immediately".
Starmer appointed Mandelson to the key diplomatic post earlier this year, tasked with building a close relationship with Trump.
The prime minister said only on Wednesday he had "confidence" in Mandelson, insisting that "due process was followed" ahead of the appointment.
His backing came after it was revealed that Mandelson called Epstein his "best pal" and an "intelligent, sharp-witted man" in a 2003 letter.
The letter was one of many included in a book compiled to mark the now notorious financier's 50th birthday.
The contents were published by a US congressional panel investigating Epstein's sex crimes case.
Mandelson told The Sun he regretted "very deeply" associating with Epstein "for far longer than I should have done."