this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2025
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Archive of paywalled Atlantic article

Peter Mandelson, the United Kingdom’s ambassador to Washington, was recalled Thursday after the extent of his friendship with the disgraced financier became impossible to deny. In a 10-page message in the now-infamous 2003 scrapbook, he called Epstein his “best pal” and included several photos of himself. Describing the financier as “mysterious,” Mandelson said that he would often be left alone with Epstein’s “interesting” friends—an assertion that appeared over a picture of an unknown young woman in her underwear.

[…]

Americans might be tempted to look at the situation in Britain and think: Consequences for misguided actions—remember them? That’s the right impulse. In the United States, the Epstein scandal has devolved into a mere political soap opera, in which the victims are largely forgotten and Trump is so far unscathed. British voters who are angry with their government might find some small consolation in the fact that on their side of the Atlantic Ocean, ethical lapses can still carry a serious political price.

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[–] Highstronaught@feddit.uk 26 points 3 weeks ago

I swear every Labour scandal he is involved somehow. Yet he still keeps coming back, like a political boomerang.

[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 25 points 3 weeks ago

Learn from our example here in the States: don't stop at recalling a politician for such heinous behavior. Make sure their victims see justice and are made as whole as a legal, capitalistic system can afford.

If not, they'll be more powerful the next time you see them.

[–] WolfmanEightySix@piefed.social 19 points 3 weeks ago

British voters who are angry with their government might find some small consolation in the fact that on their side of the Atlantic Ocean, ethical lapses can still carry a serious political price.

We’re far too concerned with a few brown people to bother with something important like this.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Starmer knew and Mandelson until a few months back was aggressively unrepentant, casting himself as the true victim.

Starmer is a pos and labour needs to sweep this aristocracy out of there, they are neck deep in israel's blackmail and complicit in that and ending the right to protest and locking down the internet and putting every site everyone visits within the grasp of their political leadership, local cops, hackers, foreign intelligence, criminal groups etc.

A Corbyn type with an aggressive countenance needs take the party and purge everyone in leadership, everyone.

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Best I can do is internet censorship and arresting people in t-shirts.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 4 points 3 weeks ago

Well we are also are going to need a masturbatorbase, for national security purposes we need to know every web page you have considered whacking off to, you know, for the kids.

[–] MedicPigBabySaver@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Release the Trump/Epstein files

[–] 01011@monero.town 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

The Brits are very good at hanging fringe elements out to dry. Show me when they held someone to account who had real power and not an over-the-hill/failed politico.

[–] CouldntCareBear@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The deputy prime minister was forced to resign just last week. The only higher position than that is PM.

[–] 01011@monero.town 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Losing your job is unfortunate but a mild response for what many of these people did. Show me when they put one of these cretins in prison.

[–] CouldntCareBear@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago

Are you talking about anyone in particular?

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The deputy PM only avoided paying tax IIRC

[–] 01011@monero.town 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

People go to prison for tax evasion, at least in civilized countries they do.

[–] Womble@piefed.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Even calling it tax evasion is a stretch, she had a complicated situation involving a trust set up for the house she had with her ex to insure her severely disabled son would be taken care of, then she claimed her new flat was her primary residence leading to a lower rate of stamp duty. She got some advice that said it was ok but was then told she should seek specialist legal advice to check that which she didnt and now has to pay back 40k.

Its not good, and she was right to step down, especially as housing minister, but its hardly a grievous sin.

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 4 points 3 weeks ago

Of course there was always something sinister about Mandelson with his Rasputin-like hold on Tony Blair and ability to resurrect from apparent political death. One of the best moments in the 2001 book “Them: Adventures With Extremists” is when Jon Ronson is trying to infiltrate a Bilderberg Group meeting with a pre-infamy Alex Jones and sees Peter Mandelson on a coach going on.