#UK politics

#UK politics

Case in point: Downing Street is racking up empty desks after Prime Minister Keir Starmer's director of communications and chief of staff departed amid a firestorm over Peter Mandelson, who was dismissed as U.K. ambassador to the U.S. due to his Epstein links. Earlier this month, London's Metropolitan Police announced an investigation into a former government minister over alleged misconduct tied to the Epstein files.

Starmer apologized to Epstein's victims and said that he was "lied to" when vetting Mandelson before the appointment. He said he not only understood, but also shared the "anger and frustration" of politicians, including allies within the Labour Party, and the public. Mandelson was fired as US Ambassador last September as more damning evidence of the depth of his ties to Epstein began to come to light, but the most recently-released files have painted a clearer picture still, with the veteran politican now facing a police investigation.

Lord Mandelson started working for Labour in the 1980s and has been a central figure in the party for decades. He played a key role in the New Labour movement, which saw Sir Tony Blair win a landslide election victory in 1997. The MP for Hartlepool held a number of ministerial roles but was twice forced to resign in scandal.