"All around Europe, the political and business elite are facing an inquest on what blinded so many to think it was permissible to consort with a known sex trafficker. As the 3m emails and 1,800 photos released on Friday by the US Department of Justice start to percolate across the continent and through to national media, questions about the moral fibre of this elite are starting to be asked at markedly different levels of intensity."
"For Starmer, a leader who has already developed a reputation for weakness in public office, this is a grievous blow. He looks as if he was either rolled over, or lacked the necessary integrity to reject the appointment. The more straightforward charge facing Mandelson is one that may see his career end not just in failure, but in jail."
Three million emails and 1,800 photos released by the US Department of Justice have exposed extensive ties between Jeffrey Epstein and Europe's political, business and cultural elite. Businessmen, bankers, politicians, royals, academics and lawyers appear in Epstein's networks, prompting questions about ethical lapses and transactional favors. Many powerful figures reportedly accepted gifts, contacts or invitations to sexually charged parties in exchange for influence. British scrutiny centers on Peter Mandelson's contacts and donations and on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's judgment in appointing him, raising potential legal and political consequences. The revelations deepen concerns about corruption, accountability and the vulnerability of institutions to wealthy predators.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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