Jeffrey Epstein was at all times a difficulty for Peter Mandelson.
Nicely earlier than the revelations of this week, the Epstein cloud hung over him and he knew it.
Again in Could, Sky Information was supplied an opportunity to talk to him.
He’d simply completed a speech at an occasion in Washington and his communications staff had urged that if we wished a while with him then he’d be out there briefly as he left the occasion.
Mark Stone assesses the influence of Mandelson’s sacking on UK-US relations
My colleague James Matthews waited outdoors the occasion for him to emerge.
When he did, James requested him concerning the speech and the prospects of a commerce deal. He then asked about Epstein.
“I am not answering any questions on him,” he mentioned.
“My information of him is one thing that I remorse. I want I might by no means met him within the first place.”
“Why did you have got an affiliation with him?” he was requested.
“Why did many individuals meet him? He was a prolific networker and I want I by no means met him within the first place,” Mandelson mentioned.
We now know that for him to outline his Epstein hyperlinks as ”my information of him” was an enormous misrepresentation of the reality.
Learn extra:
Starmer sacks Mandelson as US ambassador
No 10 appointed Mandelson despite security concerns
Read Mandelson’s letter to US embassy staff after being sacked
Peter Mandelson’s former cupboard colleague, Harriet Harman, says it is shameful that he did not resign
After the interview, James and I each obtained indignant messages from the embassy staff. I’ve since learnt that the ambassador was very sad with the change.
One supply instructed me on the time: “He was livid and also you guys are within the deep freeze.”
Notably, Sky was not invited to briefings with the embassy for a couple of months, and engagement with the embassy was more difficult.
We weren’t alone. In February, as he ready to change into the brand new ambassador, the Monetary Occasions requested Mandelson about his relationship with Epstein.
“I remorse ever assembly him or being launched to him by his associate Ghislaine Maxwell,” he instructed the paper.
“I remorse much more the harm he triggered to many younger ladies. I am not going to enter this. It is an FT obsession and admittedly you may all f*ck off. OK?”
The Prince of Darkness could not spin his method out of this.
