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In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent assistant".

These messages were released on this week together with more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his identity by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.

For example, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.

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

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

Bannon served as Trump's closest advisers in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he said: "We plan to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."

But the newly released documents indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.

A short time before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".

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

Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."

UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges

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

On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this day with Nigel, Boris and 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 today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can uk. Best-- so others get the commitment of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the guys over here have little courage" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".

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

A representative for the political party informed media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.

The Congress will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

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

Some of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.