Sir Keir Starmer is coming under pressure to sack Lord Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US after his messages to Jeffrey Epstein were revealed. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is calling on Lord Mandelson to leave his role over the allegations about his friendship with the paedophile financier. A Tory spokesperson said Ms Badenoch believes his position has become “untenable”. Britain’s ambassador to Washington described the sex offender as his “best pal” in an alleged “birthday book”.

Documents also show him writing of Epstein “taking you by surprise… in one of his glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum)”. The dead billionaire’s estate gave the House oversight committee a copy of the alleged birthday album, which also includes letters from other high-profile individuals. A number of pages are said to include pictures of former Labour minister Lord Mandelson, including him topless and wearing a white dressing gown.

The files also reportedly contain a message from the Lord Mandelson to Epstein, which reads: “Once upon a time, an intelligent, sharp-witted man they call ‘mysterious’ parachuted into my life. You would spend many hours just waiting for him to turn up.

“And often, no sooner were you getting used to having him around, you would suddenly be alone…. again. Leaving you with some ‘interesting’ friends to entertain instead…. Or just some dogs to keep you company (he wasn’t always so keen on them).

“But then he would parachute back in… Very occasionally, taking you by surprise in some far off places or in one of his glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum). But, wherever he is in the world, he remains my best pal!

“Happy birthday, Jeffrey we love you!!”

An official spokesman for Lord Mandelson told the BBC: “Lord Mandelson has long been clear that he very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein.”