Richard Tice has delivered a scathing assessment of Lord Mandelson's dismissal as UK ambassador to the United States, declaring "good riddance" during an appearance on GB News.
The Reform UK Deputy Leader launched a blistering attack on the Prime Minister's decision-making following Mandelson's removal from the diplomatic post.
"The idea you could have an ambassador from the UK to the US with his track record of a longstanding friendship with Jeffrey Epstein that went on for years after he had been a subject of suspicion, been to jail," Mr Tice stated, expressing disbelief at the appointment.
He raised fundamental concerns about Sir Keir Starmer's judgment in selecting Lord Mandelson for the prestigious role, particularly given the peer's documented connections to the convicted sex offender.
Richard Tice said serious questions must be asked about the Prime Minister's judgment
|GB NEWS / PA
Mr Tice highlighted particularly damaging revelations about Lord Mandelson's interactions with Epstein, noting that "some of the emails that came out were unbelievable."
He specifically referenced how Lord Mandelson had counselled the financier that his criminal conviction and imprisonment represented "an opportunity for Epstein."
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Documents released by the US House Oversight Committee exposed the depth of their connection, including a handwritten message in which Lord Mandelson called Epstein his "best pal" in a 2003 birthday book compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell.
Further communications showed Lord Mandelson supporting Epstein through what he described as "years of torture" regarding underage sex charges in 2008.
Richard Tice reacted to Lord Mandelson's sacking
|GB NEWS
The peer had urged the convicted paedophile to "fight for early release" during Florida plea negotiations, with messages stating "Your friends stay with you and love you."
Mr Tice drew attention to what he characterised as a troubling pattern in the Prime Minister's public defenses of embattled colleagues. "He stood up and defended Angela Rayner, she was gone within a couple of days," Mr Tice observed, referencing the former Deputy Prime Minister's resignation following tax avoidance revelations just a week before Lord Mandelson's dismissal.
The parallels between the two cases proved particularly striking to the Reform figure. "He stood up and defended Lord Mandelson, he was gone within 24 hours," he noted, highlighting how Sir Keir Starmer had expressed "full confidence" in the ambassador during Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, mere hours before instructing him to withdraw from the position.
This sequence of events has intensified scrutiny of the Prime Minister's political instincts and his ability to assess when public support for controversial figures has become untenable.
Lord Mandelson expressed his regret over his association with Jeffrey Epstein | THE SUNMr Tice revealed that concerns about Lord Mandelson's suitability had been raised well before the appointment became public.
"The Prime Minister said all processes and procedures were carried out properly. It looks like Lord Glasman wrote to the Prime Minister with his concerns about it many months ago and that was ignored, overridden," he stated.
This disclosure raises significant questions about the thoroughness of the vetting procedures for such a crucial diplomatic position. The apparent dismissal of Lord Glasman's warnings suggests that red flags about Lord Mandelson's associations were available to decision-makers but went unheeded.
The revelation that advance warnings were disregarded adds another dimension to criticisms of the Prime Minister's judgment, particularly given Sir Keir Starmer's insistence at PMQs that "due process was followed" during the appointment.
Mr Tice concluded his critique with a pointed observation about the Prime Minister's immediate political predicament.
"I suspect he's relieved there isn't a PMQs next week, otherwise who would be next?" he remarked, suggesting that Sir Keir Starmer might welcome the parliamentary recess to avoid further uncomfortable questions about his leadership decisions.
The comment underscored Mr Tice's view that a concerning pattern has emerged of the Prime Minister publicly backing controversial figures shortly before their inevitable departures.
With two high-profile resignations in quick succession, both following staunch defenses from Sir Keir Starmer, speculation is mounting about whether other members of the government might face similar fates.
The timing of Lord Mandelson's dismissal, coming just days before Donald Trump's scheduled state visit to the UK, adds diplomatic complications to the political fallout.