Veteran politician Peter Mandelson has come under scrutiny over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, was fired Thursday after new revelations about his association with Jeffrey Epstein were revealed.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer asked his foreign ministry to withdraw Mandelson, saying that newly released emails show that the extent of his relationship with the late convicted sex offender was greater than previously known.

Mandelson, a veteran Labour Party politician who was key to its success under former leader Tony Blair, has come under scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein after a birthday book was released including a letter purportedly from the now ambassador describing Epstein as “my best pal.”

  • Skavau@piefed.social
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    2 days ago

    Surprising Starmer did this because it implies besmirchment of Trumps character, and Starmer is determined to not rock the boat there.

  • palordrolap@fedia.io
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    2 days ago

    This is odd in at least a couple of ways. Mandelson is well-known to be homosexual, so an association with a man known for arranging situations with underage girls doesn’t quite match up.

    In the best case, this means that Epstein liked socialising with powerful people even if they didn’t want what he had to offer, but that raises the question of what Mandelson was getting out of it.

    • FishFace@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Mandelson was getting to meet a bunch of other rich, famous, powerful people, rub shoulders with them and make sleazy business deals with them.

      It shouldn’t be assumed that every associate of a child trafficker is there for the child rape - that’s guilt by association.

      What sunk Mandelson is that he remained friends with Epstein after he was convicted which at the absolute best is incredibly poor judgement.

    • Chainweasel@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      a man known for arranging situations with underage girls doesn’t quite match up.

      It seems a major part of Epstein’s goal was to catch powerful people in compromising situations with children to give him blackmail and leverage to keep his rape island open and a steady flow of children coming in.
      Someone like Epstein probably would have kept a smaller number of young boys on the island for people who wanted them.
      It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if there were information like that but it just hasn’t surfaced yet.

      • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I read a detailed anonymous account by someone who claimed to have worked for Epstein as a lowest-level goon and there were absolutely boys “available” on the island. He also mentions how one of his (male) coworkers got raped by one of the clients and everyone just accepted it as normal.

        It might’ve been complete fiction given that it was anonymous but a lot of the details felt very… poignant, gritty, stupid little things that only someone really in that position would know.

        • Grimy@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          I wonder how many of those workers end up dead after their contract. I wouldn’t let normal everyday folks walk around with knowledge of my rape island.

          Also, out of curiosity, link?

    • BeBopaLula@piefed.ca
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      2 days ago

      I have no idea but is it possible that Epstein provided more than just girls to his clients?

    • MisterOwl@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      that raises the question of what Mandelson was getting out of it

      Children to rape. Is it really that hard for you to understand? You think Epstein is above trafficking boys as well?