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

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can make the plane we r enroute to heathrow".

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

These exchanges were published on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets has been able to establish his identity by matching the timeline, events, and locations referenced.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.

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

Bannon was one of Trump's key aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We're going to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.

A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."

British Affairs Mentioned in Messages

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.

On the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the period, he added: "They are trying to move on. may soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the people here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".

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

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

The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited this week after the release of over 20,000 pages from his archives.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.