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In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".

Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent helper".

These messages were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC managed to establish his identity by cross-referencing the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.

'I'll make sure you're well looked after'

Bannon was one of the president's key aides in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.

He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the series, the five-part series, next year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a aide.

A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".

Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."

UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges

The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.

Earlier on the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the period, he continued: "They are trying to move on. may today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people see the commitment of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys over here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".

May was eventually removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.

The Congress will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files related to its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly denied any impropriety. The president was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was initially charged.