Starmer Apologises For Appointing Mandelson Amid Epstein Furore

Keir Starmer has apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein for ever appointing Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington despite his links to the convicted paedophile.

Pressure has been growing on the prime minister after he admitted to MPs on Wednesday that he knew of Mandelson’s friendship with the convicted sex offender – and still appointed him to the plum diplomatic role.

Mandelson remained in the post until September, when new information about the extent of his ties to Epstein was revealed and he was promptly sacked by the PM.

But fury over the government’s decision to appoint Mandelson in the first place has continued growing, triggering the most perilous moment in Starmer’s career yet.

Addressing Epstein’s victims on Thursday, Starmer said: “I am sorry. Sorry for what was done to you. Sorry for having believing Mandelson’s lies and appointed him.

“And sorry that even now you are forced to watch this story unfold in public once again.

“But I also want to say this: in this country we will not look away. We will not shrug our shoulders. And we will not allow the powerful to treat justice as optional.

“We will pursue the truth. We will uphold the integrity of public life and we will do everything within our power and in the interest of justice to ensure accountability is delivered.

“This is what the public expects. This is what victims expect and it is what I will do.”

Speaking at his pre-planned speech about the values in a “decent and tolerant Britain”, the prime minister admitted: “It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew the depth or the darkness of that relationship.”

He also claimed he wanted to release the vetting documents from before Mandelson was appointment as US ambassador on Wednesday but was limited by the ongoing police investigation into the ex-Labour peer.

He said: “I wanted to release them yesterday, in fact, and to talk about them at pime minister’s questions. But the police have advised that releasing certain information now could risk prejudicing a future investigation or legal process.”

He said any papers release must not prejudice a legal investigation which “risks justice for victims”.

Starmer’s comments come after the government backed down over its attempts to block the release of the files after a backlash from Labour MPs.

Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee will now decide what information will be revealed, excluding any files which could impact the ongoing police investigation.

Mandelson has not responded to the allegations against him but he previously apologised to Epstein’s victims for his ongoing friendship with the disgraced financier.

The former cabinet minister also quit the Labour Party on Sunday after the US Congress released a tranche of documents exposing Epstein’s elite network – including his exchanges with Mandelson.

He subsequently stepped down from the House of Lords on Wednesday, and Starmer said the government is looking into removing his title altogether and kicking him out of the Privy Council.