Peter Mandelson sacked as US ambassador over relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

Lord Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador today after emails showed that he had urged Jeffrey Epstein to 'fight for early release'. Keir Starmer finally acted after another devastating cache of messages emerged from the peer to the disgraced financier. The dramatic departure throws the government deeper into chaos, just a week before Donald Trump's state visit. It is less than a week since Angela Rayner was forced to resign over her tax affairs. Criticism will now turn to Sir Keir's judgment, with MPs warning the party is 'stained at the very top'. Bloomberg News said details of the newly-uncovered emails had been sent to Lord Mandelson for comment on Monday, raising questions about why the premier continued to voice 'full confidence' in him at PMQs yesterday. Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs this morning that it was now clear Lord Mandelson's relationship with Epstein was 'materially different' than had been known when he was appointed.