U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has dismissed Peter Mandelson, the country’s ambassador to the United States, over his previously undisclosed ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The decision came after The Sun published emails from the 2000s showing Mandelson offering support to Epstein, even urging him to fight for early release before his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told Parliament that the emails revealed a much deeper connection between Mandelson and Epstein than previously known, undermining the vetting process that cleared his appointment earlier this year.

Mandelson expressed regret over his past links, claiming he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes, but the revelations have sparked political turmoil for Starmer just ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the U.K., the Associated Press has reported.

James Roscoe, the deputy head of mission in Washington and a veteran diplomat, will serve as interim ambassador, as Starmer faces renewed scrutiny over his judgment and a string of recent political setbacks.