by Xinhua writers Zheng Bofei, Yu Aicen, Larry Neild

LONDON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Merely one week after the resignation of his deputy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday had to dismiss another senior government figure -- Peter Mandelson, Britain's ambassador to the United States -- whose political acumen was seen as a valuable asset in strengthening the country's ties with its closest ally.

As a key figure from the New Labour era, Mandelson, a member of the House of Lords and a former EU trade commissioner, has a solid business background. By the time he was appointed as ambassador in December, the Labour government hoped to leverage his political savvy and diplomatic expertise to ameliorate the Trump administration's transactional nature and trade threats.

However, his business and political connections also led to his downfall. Mandelson was sacked for his proximity to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, whom he referred to as the "best pal" in a message on Epstein's 50th birthday. Worse still, emails published by the media show that Mandelson told Epstein to "fight for early release" when the latter faced charges for sex offenses in 2008, undermining his claim of a mere casual acquaintance with the disgraced financier.

This episode has hardened into a serious test of judgment for Starmer and the government's credibility at home and abroad. For a government that brands itself with ethical clarity different from the previous Conservative government, the revelations were politically lethal.

Mandelson's departure compounds doubts about Starmer's judgment. Twice in two weeks, he has defended allies only to jettison them under pressure.

Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator for The Times, argued, "Starmer's handling of the sacked ambassador in and out of office is testament to the government's abject incoherence."

"The damage to Starmer will be profound. He once claimed sole custody of what few ethics were left in Westminster. But in six days, he has lost two of his government's household names to scandals whose details might have been designed to vindicate the public's disappearing trust in the political mainstream," Maguire said.

For Starmer, the consequences could linger, especially creating a moment of vulnerability just as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to visit Britain.

Mandelson's appointment was a gamble intended to foster rapport with Trump, but the gamble has now backfired, said Ian Scott, a professor at the University of Manchester.

"Whichever," Scott said, "it's not great political management."■