A prince, an ambassador, senior diplomats, top politicians. All brought down by the Jeffrey Epstein files. And all in Europe, rather than the United States.

The huge trove of Epstein documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice has sent shock waves through Europe’s political, economic and social elites — dominating headlines, ending careers and spurring political and criminal investigations.

Former U.K. Ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson was fired and could go to prison. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a leadership crisis over the Mandelson appointment. Senior figures have fallen in Norway, Sweden and Slovakia. And, even before the latest batch of files, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III, lost his honors, princely title and taxpayer-funded mansion.

  • Riddick3001@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    If I were a conspiracy theorist I would say that the release of the Files were redacted in such a way to topple political adversaries in Europe. I mean that goal is part the Heritage Project 2025.

      • AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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        10 hours ago

        I’m just waiting for the Michael Scarn - Dwigt case where something like Domald Trumo shows up.

    • BillyClark@piefed.social
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      10 hours ago

      I have been following British media a bit and unless I am mistaken, this Mandelson chap ran afoul of his Epstein conduct back in September, which was before the DOJ even started releasing the Epstein files as part of the Epstein act, which hadn’t passed at the time. The subsequent release and redactions seem to have exposed even more, but his goose was cooked before that.

      Current allegations are that Mandelson handed Epstein extremely sensitive government information. I forget what Brits call it, but we’d say it was classified.

      And it currently seems like PM Kier Starmer is probably going to fall with him, since he apparently knew about Mendelson’s continuing association with post-conviction Epstein.

      Anyways, that one particularly seems somewhat unrelated to the redaction choices.

      • determinist@kbin.earth
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        10 hours ago

        “And it currently seems like PM Kier Starmer is probably going to fall with him, since he apparently knew about Mendelson’s continuing association with post-conviction Epstein.”

        we can hope.

        • ViatorOmnium@piefed.social
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          The problem is that unless Labour finds the most competent prime minister in British history, the clock is ticking until Brits elect Prime Minister Farage. Association with pedophiles and bribery is only toxic for left wing politicians (including pretend-left like Starmer).

          • hector@lemmy.today
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            10 hours ago

            Or, they get a new party and win with it. Isn’t Corbyn starting a new one? They just need a more populist, more cut throat type of Corbyn to lead the new party.

            Because with this labour party in charge Reform is getting in, pretending they aren’t betraying the country while they cancel the magna carta isn’t going to change that.

            And indeed starmer already did more damage than the tories did in over a decade. They are really taking this lesser of two dickheads strategy to an extreme just as it’s reaching it’s doomed to fail moment.

            • HamFistedVegan@lemmy.world
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              9 hours ago

              And indeed starmer already did more damage than the tories did in over a decade.

              Sorry but what is that opinion based on?

              As a Brit I can assure you that a) he has absolutely most certainly not done more than the previous Tory governments to mess the country up. Lizz Truss, for only a single example, ruined the economy in 40 odd days. b) the prevailing opinion is not that he has been worse than the Tories. The reason many people say they want to vote Reform is precisely because they are a right wing party that are not the Tories.

              I’m very curious as to what you think his government has done that is worse than the 14 years of austerity, wrecked public finances, crumbling infrastructure and over population that the Tories provided? Obviously you are entitled to an opinion but I struggle to see what facts it could be based on.

              • hector@lemmy.today
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                8 hours ago

                Cancelled the right to a trial by jury for up to 3 years in prison, from 1 passed in 2020, cancelling the magna carta without a fight.

                Created a masterbaitorbase, to record every web page you have considered whacking off to, you know, for the kids.

                Cancelling the right to protest in a disfavored protest, then doing nothing while serious charges are filed for taking part in sanctioned protests, and while defenses against those charges are disallowed. Another repudiation of the Magna Carta, without a fight, because it’s “your” team.

                Bad faith terrorism designations based on your politicians say so. Prosecutions under that, bad faith ones at that, laughing about them starving in prison with no trial date. etc.

                What else seems like I’m forgetting something here. I shouldn’t need to tell you the masterbaitorbase is just the beginning, that along with age checks they are going to put everything you say and do through half baked ai threat detection that will give secret social scores.

                I don’t have the energy right now to go through why this is all so bad, but you should already know that frankly, to a degree.

                If you are happy about how things are going, I would suggest getting checked for taxoplasmosis.

                • HamFistedVegan@lemmy.world
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                  8 hours ago

                  Cancelled the right to a trial by jury for up to 3 years in prison, from 1 passed in 2020, cancelling the magna carta without a fight.

                  I thought these changes were still in the proposal stage? They are bad though and I disagree with them.

                  I don’t disagree with anything else you’ve listed. I’m just struggling to see how any of that is worse than what 14 years of a Tory government provided? On top of a ruined economy, failing public services, huge NHS waiting times etc. they also introduced the 9k tuition fees.

                  Are you a UK citizen? If so are you a particularly young one?

                  Because I can tell you now that if you were of voting age living through those Tory governments and you were living in the country, as me, you would be far more bitter about the 14 years of turning our country to shit than a year and a half of an incompetent slightly authoritarian Labour government.

                  The majority of people would say the same. The Tories were voted out by a sweeping majority in 2024 because of this. UK citizens loathed the party and a good deal many still do, hence the rise of Reform.

                  I understand why you are angry at Starmer’s government and your criticisms are fair, but I do not at all believe that your opinion that his government, over one and a half years, has been worse than the previous 14 years of Tory governance is founded on anything tangible whatsoever.

                  • hector@lemmy.today
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                    7 hours ago

                    No I am an american and it pisses me off I seem to be angrier about changes in the homeland than you guys are.

                    Jury trials, right to protest, are bedrock, non negotiable values, that your politicians are the first in the west to cancel them should be a concern, not the least as the first to adopt these rights.

      • hector@lemmy.today
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        10 hours ago

        Starmer is neck deep in this, the cynical cunt. He was chosen to side with Israel come blackmailing of politicians in treason or cancelling the right to protest and freedom of speech. Somehow quashing dissent on Israel is more important, them and their financial backers being on video fucking children held by Israel explains why they do care so very much more than they should.

        Mandelson got outed last fall, I thought he was let go then, the guardian podcast in focus was talking about him. Just a year or so earlier he was unapologetic in his undying fraternity with Epstein, telling inquiring journalists if they didn’t like it they could go fuck themselves, kind of attitude.

        He changed to contrite last year.

    • ruuster13@lemmy.zip
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      9 hours ago

      Trump never would have reversed course and encouraged the release unless his team had figured out how to weaponise them.