Peter Mandelson the UK ambassador to the US has been sacked over allegations of his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein was a prolific sex offender and he had a strong friendship with the disgraced Prince Andrew.
Stephen Doughty, the Foreign Office minister told the House of Commons that Mandelson has been sacked.
Doughty told MPs, “In light of additional information in emails written by Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister has asked the foreign secretary to withdraw him as ambassador to the United States.
“The emails show that the depth and extent of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.”
He added that the former ambassador had suggested “that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged”.
This is “new information” and “in light of that” he has been sacked.
What is embarrassing for Sir Keir Starmer is that he said on Wednesday during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) Mandelson has his full confidence and he went through a full vetting procedure.
Starmer refused to say when he became aware of Mandelson’s relationship with the former sex offender, Epstein.
It has been alleged that Mandelson told the paedophile to “fight for early release” before he was sentenced to 18 months.
Mandelson told Epstein, “I think the world of you” the day before he started his prison sentence for soliciting prostitution from an underage girls in 2008.
Doughty said, “In particular, Lord Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information.
And in light of that, and mindful, as we all are, of the victims of Epstein’s appalling crimes, he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect.
The Lib Dems said the allegations surround Mandelson “cast a damning shadow” over what the government knew.
Helen Maguire MP, the party’s defence spokeswoman, said, “The accusations surrounding Lord Mandelson cast a damning shadow.
It’s right that the Prime Minister has withdrawn his support for Lord Mandelson.
“Yesterday, the Prime Minister stood by Lord Mandelson’s appointment to confirm that rigorous background checks had taken place. So what has changed since then?”
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