UK ambassador to US sacked over his ties to Epstein

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sacked Peter Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US, after he faced mounting scrutiny over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, BBC reports on Thursday. 

A Foreign Office statement says the decision was made "in light of the additional information" in emails written by Mandelson.

"The emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment," the statement says. 

In recent days, US lawmakers released a number of documents, including a letter from Mandelson in which he called the late convicted paedophile his "best pal."

The ambassador said he believed further "embarrassing" correspondence would be published between him and Epstein.

Mandelson served as a key link between Keir Starmer and Donald Trump during a crucial time for US-UK diplomacy.