Starmer Backs US Envoy Mandelson Over Note to ‘Pal’ Epstein

Britain's ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, left, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a welcome reception in February in Washington.
Photographer: Carl Court/Getty Images

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By Alex Wickham

September 9, 2025 at 4:29 PM UTC

Updated on

September 10, 2025 at 7:36 AM UTC

Prime Minister Keir Starmer stood by Britain’s ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, after newly released files revealed he had called the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein his “best pal.”

Documents from Epstein’s estate given to a US congressional committee showed Mandelson took part in a book of tributes compiled by Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell to celebrate his 50th birthday in 2003.