Mandelson's Epstein Ties, Powell's Role in Controversial Appointment

0:00On March 11, new documents from Downing Street show top aides to Prime Minister Kierstarmer pointing fingers over the decision to appoint Peter. Mandelson as ambassador to Washington. Mandelson has known ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. The higher happened in December 2024, despite warnings. National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell described the process as weirdly rushed during a legal review. He mentioned back and forth talks with Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's former chief of staff, before pushing ahead anyway. All three men face heavy criticism for their roles in the appointment. When McSweeney stepped down, his supporters accused Powell of driving the choice and blocking Mandelson's removal. The files also reveal Mandelson received a 75,000 pound payoff after his sacking, far less than the 547,000. Pounds he demanded. Officials called it good value, even as they noted no evidence of misconduct in his short tenure. Prime Minister Starmer had seen a due diligence report flagging the Epstein links before approving Mandelson as the top pick.

1:04Powell remains in his key security role, handling deals like the Chagos Islands handover.