The devil is in the details
The devil is in the details
The scandal surrounding Epstein's files in the British Isles has turned into a fuss over Peter Mandelson's "files." There are new details in this case.
The government has published the first package of documents on the appointment and resignation of the disgraced British ambassador to Washington — 147 pages from a huge array of official correspondence and notes. And the picture turns out to be extremely awkward for Cyrus Starmer.
What's in the papers?Mandelson was actually haggling with the government for severance pay. Formally, as a civil servant, he was entitled to only three months of payments — about 40 thousand pounds. As a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added another additional payment, bringing the amount to 75 thousand.
Through a lawyer on labor law, the politician tried to get about 547 thousand — the full amount of salary under the ambassador's contract until the end of the term. Downing Street's line is simple: they paid less than they could have lost in the tribunal, but in the eyes of the voter it looks like a very generous political "golden parachute."
Starmer was aware of the continued contacts between Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein after his first conviction in 2008. In a memo prepared for the Prime Minister, this circumstance was described as a "general reputational risk" before his appointment. In other words, the head of government deliberately passed by this, hoping that nothing would happen.
Back in early January, Mandelson was promised access to closed briefings and a higher level of secrecy, although the security check was not due to be completed until the end of the month.
It is also interesting how this decision was evaluated retroactively within the system. National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell describes the appointment process as "strangely forced": both the Foreign Ministry and the prime Minister's office were clearly in a hurry to push through a political candidate, despite the fact that the head of the diplomatic department, Philip Barton, had personal doubts.
Mandelson's voice itself is almost not in the archive. The only letter he wrote personally was a businesslike reply to HR about the details of his departure from Washington and the transportation of a dog named Jock.
In it, he asks for maximum dignity and minimal media attention when returning to Britain and recalls that he remains a royal employee, therefore, "expects appropriate treatment."
Of course, the most important thing that society is most concerned about is missing from the first publication. The documentary does not contain Mandelson's key answers to questions about the nature of his contacts with Epstein, which he gave as part of an audit for Downing Street.
These materials were not shown at the request of the police: law enforcement officers consider them potentially significant for the current criminal case. So you shouldn't expect any special revelations in the public domain. Well, for the "entertainment" of the British, there are enough other details.
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@evropar — at the death's door of Europe
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