The Epstein scandal reveals a world not just of sexual crimes against children, but of his gilded friends living lives of luxury and privilege none of us can imagine. Our columnist and Writer at Large Neil Mackay warns that this will have disastrous consequences

It's the pictures, not just the words, which so curdle the stomach. The images which Peter Mandelson put into the birthday note he sent to his “best pal” Jeffrey Epstein show him laughing in a bathrobe with his paedophile friend, dressed only in shorts gazing over a lush landscape, grinning in a speedboat, sitting down to lunch with a half-naked woman in the frame, and a shot of what one presumes is the sex offender’s island.

Mandelson, in the note, talks of entertaining Epstein’s “interesting friends”. Another line refers to Epstein and the “glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum)”.

Mandleson is now sacked. Good riddance. After standing by him, Keir Starmer eventually acted over claims Mandelson hadn’t disclosed the full extent of his relationship with Epstein. Number 10 claimed not to have known about emails from Mandelson to Epstein related to his conviction for soliciting a child for prostitution.

In June 2008, Mandelson wrote: “I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about........

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