A look back at Lord Mandelson's career as he is withdrawn as ambassador to US

Following the news that Lord Mandelson has been withdrawn as British Ambassador to the United States, ITV News Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks looks back at his career

Lord Peter Mandelson has made a career of comebacks – from spin doctor to returning to cabinet after quitting twice – but has now been axed as the UK’s top diplomat in Washington over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s ambassador to the US, he was the first political appointment to the role in decades and took on the role as Donald Trump returned to the White House.

Peter Mandelson started out as a Labour communications director in 1985 and was first elected as an MP in 1992. He served in the cabinets of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

The Labour grandee resigned twice from cabinet, in 1998 and 2001, became Britain’s European commissioner between 2004 and 2008, and then made an astonishing return in 2008 under Mr Brown, who made him a peer to become business secretary.

A linchpin of the New Labour project from its birth in the early 1990s, Lord Mandelson witnessed and participated in the feuds that dominated much of its 13 years in power.

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