Brittisk ambassadör var vän med Epstein – sparkas

Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, (born 21 October 1953) is a British politician, lobbyist and diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States from February to September 2025. He previously served in the Cabinets of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in various ministerial positions in Government, including Minister without portfolio, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Business Secretary and First Secretary of State. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004. A member of the Labour Party, Mandelson served as Labour's director of communications from 1985 to 1990, becoming one of the first people to whom the term "spin doctor" was applied and being dubbed the "Prince of Darkness" because of his "ruthless" and "media savvy" reputation. Although sidelined during the brief period when John Smith led the Labour Party, Mandelson became close to two future party leaders and prime ministers – Gordon Brown and Tony Blair. Mandelson was one of several key people responsible for the rebranding of the Labour Party as New Labour before its victory in the 1997 general election, and re-elections in the 2001 and 2005 general elections. After becoming a close ally and trusted adviser to Blair, Mandelson was Labour's election campaign director for the 1997 election, which Labour won decisively. Mandelson served as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade in 1998 and again from 2008 to 2010, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1999 to 2001 as well as First Secretary of State and Lord President of the Council from 2009 to 2010. He was the European Commissioner for Trade from 2004 to 2008 and Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, before being elevated to the House of Lords as a Life Peer in 2008, which attracted some controversy. After Labour lost the 2010 general election, Mandelson co-founded Global Counsel, a lobbying firm based in London, and remained active in Labour party politics in the years proceeding their return to office at the 2024 general election. Mandelson has been described as having a "significant influence" on the office of current Labour Party leader and prime minister Keir Starmer as a "core part" of his political network. In December 2024, Starmer nominated Mandelson as HM Ambassador to the United States, and he assumed the office in February 2025. Previously opposed to Donald Trump, Mandelson revised his opinion publicly asserting his respect for Trump, according to the will of the people. Mandelson has faced several scandals during his political career, being twice sacked from Cabinet following scandals. He bought a home in Notting Hill in 1996 partly with an interest-free loan of £373,000 from Geoffrey Robinson, a Cabinet colleague and millionaire whose business dealings were subject to an inquiry by Mandelson's department. Mandelson contended that he had deliberately not taken part in any decisions relating to Robinson. He had not declared the loan in the Register of Members' Interests and resigned in December 1998. Mandelson initially thought he could weather the press storm, but had to resign when it became clear that Blair thought nothing else would clear the air. In January 2001, Mandelson resigned from the Government for a second time, following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application. Mandelson has also faced multiple allegations of inappropriate links, most notably being criticised since 2019 for his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and has faced repeated calls to resign as British Ambassador to the United States since September 2025 amid renewed information surrounding his ties to Epstein, though Starmer has expressed confidence in him. Mandleson has expressed regret towards his prior association with Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell. Mandelson was dismissed by Starmer, on 11 September 2025, making him one of the shortest serving British ambassadors to the United States in history.