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The Epstein story is not just about one monster. It’s about the ecosystem that enabled him, funded him, befriended him, and kept doing business with him even after he was convicted.
Today, I sat down again with James Matthewson (BBC/Sky News contributor) for a Substack Live that turned into something bigger than I expected. We started with the UK’s political earthquake, and then widened out into the most damning contrast of all: in Britain, association with Epstein can bring a government to the brink of collapse. In the United States, association with Epstein doesn’t disqualify you from the highest office in the land.
You can watch our full conversation above and read key takeaways below.
The UK Government Is Being Shaken By The Epstein Files
James laid out how Peter Mandelson (a major figure from the Tony Blair era, now the UK’s U.S. ambassador) has become the center of a crisis that is rattling Downing Street.
Key takeaways:
Mandelson is not a random diplomat. He’s a long-time Labour power broker, central to the Blair political machine, and a figure with a history of scandals tied to elite access and private wealth.
The scandal is not just “he once met Epstein.” The most damaging detail is that Mandelson’s relationship appears to have continued after Epstein’s conviction, including emails indicating an ongoing friendship.
Downing Street reportedly knew. The government is accused of having prior knowledge of his Epstein connections when appointing him anyway. That is the gasoline.
The fallout has been immediate and real. James described resignations tied to the appointment itself, with the scandal radiating outward to those who enabled it.
Starmer’s leadership got pulled into the blast radius. Pressure escalated to the point where even leaders within the broader Labour ecosystem publicly called for resignation.
What hit me is the principle beneath it: in the UK, proximity to Epstein is politically toxic enough that it contaminates the people who elevated you.
The American Exception: Impunity For The Epstein Class
In the US, you can be credibly tied to Epstein and still hold power.
Key takeaways:
The scandal has names that should end careers. We discussed figures like Howard Lutnick, Elon Musk, Steve Bannon, and, of course, Donald Trump, and the broader theme of powerful people minimizing, denying, or reframing their associations.
Trump sits at the center of the accountability vacuum. James’ point was blunt: if the UK government can be destabilized by extended Epstein proximity, what does it say that the US President can have years of documented connection and face no consequences?
Republicans have normalized the unthinkable. We’ve reached a point where portions of the public have been trained to rationalize anything, even in the face of direct evidence.
This is the core thesis of the conversation: the US doesn’t just have an Epstein problem. We have an accountability crisis.
The Corruption Thread People Keep Missing
We discussed how Epstein wasn’t only a sexual predator. He operated like a leverage machine.
Key takeaways:
Elite access was currency. Epstein used proximity to power to build credibility, then used credibility to gain more access, more money, and more victims.
He functioned like a one-man intelligence operation. He collected secrets, cultivated favors, and created implicit blackmail conditions by making himself the keeper of compromising information.
Mandelson’s case includes a “classic corruption” pattern. The Epstein files revealed Mandelson sharing insider-level information with Epstein, who was a market speculator, plus money transfers connected to Mandelson’s partner.
Even if someone wasn’t directly involved in trafficking, enabling a convicted predator is disqualifying. The UK is responding to that moral reality in a way the US refuses to.
This is the part that makes the entire Epstein saga so destabilizing: once you realize the scope of what he was doing, you start seeing the whole network more clearly.
The Royal Family Problem And The Limits Of “Accountability”
Then James went to the other explosive pillar of UK public anger: the monarchy.
Key takeaways:
Prince Andrew remains a national stain. He’s been stripped of roles and pushed out of public life, but the sense of accountability is still incomplete.
The settlement question is political dynamite. James noted serious public concern around whether money connected to the Crown’s finances was used to settle a civil case involving Virginia Giuffre.
The police piece is glaring. James emphasized that despite extensive public evidence and years of scandal, there has not been the kind of full-throated investigation many believe should have happened.
Even the King’s statement matters because it’s rare. The fact that the monarchy made any comment at all signals the level of heat.
The government can’t pretend it’s separate. The Prime Minister meets the King regularly, and the public expects moral clarity, not polite avoidance.
So even in the UK, the story reveals a tension: real consequences for some political actors, and a longstanding institutional reluctance when the institution is old, prestigious, and protected.
The Bottom Line
The Epstein Files are showing us which countries still have functional accountability mechanisms, which institutions are structurally protected from scrutiny, and which elites are so insulated that they believe consequences are for other people.
In the UK, proximity to Epstein is deterring careers and destabilizing government. In the US, proximity to Epstein sits comfortably beside power.
That contrast tells you everything you need to know about where we are and what we have to rebuild.
If you watched the Live, thank you! If not, appreciate you catching it here. Feel free to leave a comment if you have questions. And if you haven’t yet: subscribe to his Substack, and subscribe to mine. Independent journalism only works if we build it together.
