Lord Peter Mandelson has written a letter to all the staff at the UK embassy in Washington DC following Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to sack him.
The Foreign Office confirmed on Thursday that Lord Mandelson had been stripped of the position in the wake of fresh revelations about his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The now former ambassador wrote to staff that he continues to “feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein”, and said he has “no alternative to accepting the prime minister’s decision”.
Sir Keir Starmer is understood to have made the decision to remove Lord Mandelson from the post on Thursday morning after new emails revealed the Labour peer had sent messages of support to Epstein even as he faced jail for sex offences in 2008.
Our US correspondent Mark Stone has obtained the letter, which you can read in full below.
Dear All,
As you will be have seen [sic], my position as Ambassador to the United States has come to an end.
Being Ambassador here has been the privilege of my life, and Reinaldo’s. I could not have wished for a better welcome by you all, a better introduction to the job or better support while here.
Your professionalism has been superb, more so than I have experienced in any public role. For this I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The circumstances surrounding the announcement today are ones which I deeply regret. I continue to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein twenty years ago and the plight of his victims.
I have no alternative to accepting the Prime Minister’s decision and will leave a position in which I have been so incredibly honoured to serve.
Peter Mandelson, pictured at the UK’s embassy in Washington in March, was sacked on Thursday. Pic: PA
The relationship between Britain and the United States of America is a unique one. I know that you will continue to serve and deepen that relationship from DC right across our brilliant network.
I wish to thank you for all of your efforts in serving me as your Ambassador.
In a short time we have achieved so much. We leave the relationship with the US in a really good condition, with a magnificent State Visit and the new US-UK Technology Partnership – my personal pride and joy that will help write the next chapter of the special relationship – set for next week.
Thank you from me, Reinaldo [his spouse] and Jock [their dog]. I will treasure the experience and memory of having worked with you all.
Very best
Peter
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