Mandelson's US Ambassadorship: Severance, Epstein Links, Rushed Appointment

0:00On March 11, the UK government has released the first batch of documents on Peter Mendelssohn's brief stint as ambassador to the United States. He got the job in December 2024 and was removed in September 2025. These 147 pages come from a much larger set running into hundreds of thousands shedding light on his appointment in Exit. Details show Mendelssohn pushed for a bigger severance package than the standard three-months notice, which came to 40,330 pounds. The foreign office added another 34,670 pounds as a termination payment to avoid a costly tribunal. Officials knew about his past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, even after the financier's 2008 conviction, but saw it as a general, reputational risk. The vetting process raised eyebrows with Mendelssohn getting offers for sensitive briefings starting January 6 before his security checks wrapped up by months end. General security adviser Jonathan Powell later called the whole appointment rushed, driven

1:00by Downing Street and the foreign office, despite some internal doubts. Mendelssohn's own words in the files highlight his worry over a dignified departure from Washington with little media fuss, timed around his dogs, travel clearance. He denied any wrongdoing throughout. More documents are due, but some remain withheld at police request amid an ongoing probe into possible misconduct in public office. This leaves plenty of questions hanging as the full picture emerges.