On Thursday, after days of slow-dripping revelations of his excruciating communications with the deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, U.K. Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson was finally dismissed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer from his role as Britain’s man in Washington. Scrutiny of their friendship had renewed following the release by the U.S. House Oversight Committee of an alleged “birthday book” gifted to Epstein for his 50th birthday, in which Mandelson calls him “my best pal,” shortly followed by leaked emails featuring Mandelson’s suggestion that Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged.

Mandelson has expressed regret over ever meeting Epstein, and for the hurt caused to Epstein’s victims, and is not accused of any sexual wrongdoing. But, as the old adage goes, political scandals in Britain are not discovered but merely noticed. Mandelson’s fraternizing with one of the world’s most notorious sex offenders has been known for some time. It was a massive political time bomb waiting to explode. His appointment was yet another catastrophic error of judgment by the beleaguered Starmer—one that may now endanger the U.K.’s relationship with an increasingly volatile White House.

On Thursday, after days of slow-dripping revelations of his excruciating communications with the deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, U.K. Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson was finally dismissed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer from his role as Britain’s man in Washington. Scrutiny of their friendship had renewed following the release by the U.S. House Oversight Committee of an alleged “birthday book” gifted to Epstein for his 50th birthday, in which Mandelson calls him “my best pal,” shortly followed by leaked emails featuring Mandelson’s suggestion that Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged.

Mandelson has expressed regret over ever meeting Epstein, and for the hurt caused to Epstein’s victims, and is not accused of any sexual wrongdoing. But, as the old adage goes, political scandals in Britain are not discovered but merely noticed. Mandelson’s fraternizing with one of the world’s most notorious sex offenders has been known for some time. It was a massive political time bomb waiting to explode. His appointment was yet another catastrophic error of judgment by the beleaguered Starmer—one that may now........

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