"Peter Mandelson, the United Kingdom's ambassador to Washington, was recalled Thursday after the extent of his friendship with the disgraced financier became impossible to deny. In a 10-page message in the now-infamous 2003 scrapbook, he called Epstein his "best pal" and included several photos of himself. Describing the financier as "mysterious," Mandelson said that he would often be left alone with Epstein's "interesting" friends-an assertion that appeared over a picture of an unknown young woman in her underwear."
"The first thing to say is: What an awkward diplomatic situation. The British government has just fired its U.S. ambassador for writing a message in the same book that the American president reportedly contributed to. (Donald Trump steadfastly maintains that the letter attributed to him by The Wall Street Journal is a fake.) Mandelson's departure also adds to a sense of crisis around Britain's Labour government, which came into power just a year ago."
Jeffrey Epstein's 2003 50th-birthday scrapbook revealed messages and photos that led to diplomatic fallout in Britain. Peter Mandelson, the United Kingdom's ambassador to Washington, was recalled after a 10-page entry showed him calling Epstein his "best pal" and included photos and comments about being left alone with Epstein's "interesting" friends, alongside an image of a young woman in underwear. The revelations created an awkward situation because the same book reportedly contained a contribution attributed to the American president, which the president denies. Mandelson's removal intensified scrutiny of Britain's Labour government and its vetting decisions.
Read at The Atlantic
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