"Councillors in Hartlepool voted unanimously on Thursday to withdraw the Freedom of Hartlepool from Lord Mandelson, who represented the area between 1992 and 2004. The peer was sacked as Britain's ambassador to Washington last month after Downing Street said he had not disclosed the full extent of his relationship with the late financier Epstein. Hartlepool borough council said it had acted to avoid damaging the reputation of Hartlepool and undermining public confidence in the integrity of civic awards."
"Documents released in September revealed Mandelson had sent supportive messages to Epstein after he pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008. In one message, Mandelson told Epstein to fight for early release and in another, sent the day before he began his prison sentence, he said: I think the world of you. Mandelson described Epstein as his best pal in a book compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker, for the financier's 50th birthday."
Peter Mandelson will be stripped of the Freedom of Hartlepool after disclosures about his close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Councillors voted unanimously to withdraw the honour; Mandelson represented Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004. The peer was sacked as Britain’s ambassador to Washington after Downing Street said he had not disclosed the full extent of his relationship with Epstein. Hartlepool borough council said the relationship, even after Epstein’s conviction, was incompatible with the values and dignity of the award. Mandelson has also lost other honorary roles, an honorary doctorate, and financial and voting ties at an advisory firm after supportive messages to Epstein emerged.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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