Oh, not even you, Starmer, can escape Epstein.

"Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets US President Donald Trump" by UK Prime Minister is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

It has been a little over six years since Jeffrey Epstein died in a jail cell in New York. Little did he — or the entire world — know that the year 2025 would mark his most prevalent and influential year in the media.

Donald Trump has been fighting for months now to distance himself from any genuine ties to the convicted sex offender. The promised release of the Epstein files, which were supposedly going to stir up Washington’s media and expose the long-lost ties that the “leftist deep state” had with Epstein, has backfired.

However, with a short trip across the Atlantic, it seems that his dear friend, Keir Starmer, is facing a similar political headache over Epstein. A headache many have had to deal with this year, to say the least.

Peter Mandelson, a former government minister under Tony Blair’s and Gordon Brown’s governments, received Starmer’s complete confidence when he was appointed as the UK Ambassador to the United States — a senior and significant role not given to just anyone.

Nevertheless, fitting to the theme of ministers around Starmer letting him down time and again, it was Mandelson’s turn last week. Released letters revealed longstanding and uninterrupted contact the UK Ambassador had with the sex offender himself.  Matters quickly became worse when it was discovered that these emails and letters had continued well beyond Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor. Not a good look when some of the letters included friendly name-calling, such as “best pal.”

Despite this, Starmer continued to back Mandelson. During a live Parliamentary debate on Wednesday the 10th, he gave his US Ambassador full support. Yet only shortly after, Bloomberg published further emails and records of contact between Mandelson and Epstein,  exposing the full extent of their relationship.  This uncovering forced the Prime Minister to officially announce Mandelson’s resignation as Ambassador, less than 24 hours after backing him.

Starmer had known far too long about the relationship the two shared. He was even aware that Mandelson had stayed at the convicted felon’s house while Epstein was sitting in a jail cell. Is it acceptable to have sleepovers at the home of a notorious pedophile, so long as you think he is innocent?

Starmer, of course, has repeatedly claimed in recent days that he did not know the full extent of their relationship. In an interview yesterday with the UK’s Channel 4 News, he said that what shocked him most following the uncovering of the shared letters was Mandelson’s questioning and challenging of Epstein’s conviction.

Two weeks ago, it was his Deputy PM, Angela Rayner, who resigned due to a tax scandal. Last week, it was Mandelson and Epstein. Yesterday, it was his senior advisor, Paul Ovenden, after compromising messages were revealed, that forced his resignation. It would be an understatement to say that the vetting process at 10 Downing Street is being questioned in the month of September.

An emergency Parliamentary debate today, Tuesday the 16th, will bring Members of Parliament together to discuss the chaos surrounding Mandelson and how the government can move forward. Is  Starmer’s cabinet still fit to continue governance at this rate?

The only saving grace that might somehow rescue September for Keir Starmer is Donald Trump’s state visit, with the President landing on Wednesday evening. Perhaps enough cameras will pan towards the leading figure of the US so that the PM can finally have a break. 

May the US and UK leadership together fight against the never-ending shadow of Jeffrey Epstein.