𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Peter Mandelson is a “sycophant’ who is “not fit to be in government” it was claimed after it emerged he described paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein as his “best pal”. The British ambassador to the US has admitted he regrets “very, very deeply indeed carrying on” the association with Epstein “for far longer than I should have done”. Keir Starmer insisted he still has “confidence” in the diplomat after being grilled about the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions. But Express columnist Carole Malone blasted the peer for “sucking up to rich people”.

She told the Daily Expresso news show: “It’s just his (Mandelson’s) sycophantic messages to him. This is him sucking up to rich people. He’s not fit to be in government. He really isn’t.”

Malone said Donald Trump was against Lord Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador in Washington.

She added: “He had called Trump the most unutterable names, and then, because that job’s going, he’s suddenly a big friend of Trump.

“And there was a disgusting picture in the White House the other week where he’s standing beside him, he’s fawning, he’s a slimy, horrible, dodgy man, and he should not have that kind of position, that kind of influence anywhere.”

Lord Mandelson wrote to Epstein while he was facing charges in June 2008 and said: “Your friends stay with you and love you.”

The FBI had opened an investigation into Epstein in 2006 and the US Attorney’s Office prepared an indictment in June 2007. On June 30 2008, Epstein appeared in court to plead guilty to charges of solicitation of prostitution, and solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18.

Details of the messages were published by the Sun, which also revealed that Lord Mandelson told Epstein: “Fight for early release.”

Downing Street repeatedly evaded questions on how much the Prime Minister knew about the former Labour minister’s association with Epstein at the time of his appointment.

Sir Keir’s official spokesman pointed to the “extensive vetting” of Lord Mandelson.

Lord Mandelson also described Epstein as his “best pal” in a 2003 “birthday book” compiled by British convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell which was published by the House Oversight Committee in the US following a request for documents to the Epstein estate.

At PMQs, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Was the Prime Minister aware of this intimate relationship when he appointed Lord Mandelson to be our ambassador in Washington?”

Sir Keir replied: “As she and the House would expect, full due process was followed during this appointment, as it is with all ambassadors.

“The ambassador has repeatedly expressed his deep regret, he is right to do so, he’s now playing an important part in the US-UK relationship.”