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In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down my talk I doubt I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing assistant".

These messages were released on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the Congressional committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his identity by matching the dates, events, and places referenced.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.

Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon served as Trump's key aides in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in August 2017.

He has admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he stated: "We plan to publish the series, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."

But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a aide.

A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".

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

UK Politics Discussed in Messages

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.

On the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he added: "The guys are trying to move on. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can in the UK. Best-- so people get the dedication of your follow-up."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the guys here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

May was finally removed in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.

A representative for the political party told media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.

Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed recently after the release of over 20,000 pages from his estate.

A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was initially charged.