Keir Starmer’s Epstein problem
Starmer’s Chief of Staff Resigns, Citing Role in Hiring Friend of Epstein
The Epstein files name men around the world. Ehud Barak, Israel’s former prime minister, stayed at Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan apartment multiple times. A close associate of the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, exchanged messages with Epstein about “opening so many legs.”
In some places, embarrassment has turned into political scandal: An adviser to the prime minister of Slovakia has resigned. So has a former French education minister who led the Arab World Institute in Paris. But the biggest fallout has been in Britain, where the prime minister, Keir Starmer, is now under pressure.
Today I’m writing about his Epstein troubles.
Keir Starmer’s Epstein problem
As far as we know, Keir Starmer never met Jeffrey Epstein. He never went to Epstein’s island and never sent him raunchy emails. He might be brought down by the Epstein files anyway.
The first signs of trouble came in September, after Peter Mandelson, Starmer’s ambassador to the United States, was shown to have had close ties with Epstein, even after his 2008 conviction for having sex with a minor. Mandelson was fired.
But that wasn’t the end of it. On Sunday, Starmer’s chief of staff, a Mandelson protégé who had lobbied for his appointment, resigned after even worse emails emerged between Mandelson and Epstein. Starmer’s communications chief resigned yesterday. A senior Labour politician openly called for Starmer to step down.
There seems to be little doubt that the Epstein scandal has damaged the Starmer government. He won decisively in 2024. Now, few analysts see him lasting until the 2029 elections.
It’s a striking outcome. At their origin, the Epstein files are an American scandal. Why have they become a crisis for Starmer — but not for President Trump, who was a close friend of Epstein’s.
“Prince of Darkness”
Mandelson, the man at the center of this, has held multiple cabinet positions in the British government. He was appointed ambassador to the U.S. in December 2024.
TANIKO Madagascar 