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

The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down my talk I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent helper".

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

The disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC managed to confirm his involvement by matching the dates, events, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.

Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon was one of the president's key aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein before his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his podcast recently, he said: "We're going to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released documents 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 short time before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".

Bannon thanked him: "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 Discussed in Exchanges

The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.

Earlier on the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit issue this morning with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to proceed. May soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others see the dedication of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the guys here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".

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

A representative for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.

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

Interest in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed this week after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

A portion of those referenced Trump, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.