British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed regret to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday and admitted fault in appointing Peter Mandelson as the U.S. ambassador, who had close ties to the deceased sex offender.
Starmer acknowledged that he was unaware of the extent of the relationship between Mandelson and Epstein when he assigned him the role in December 2024, accusing the veteran Labour politician of deceiving him regarding their connections.
“I apologize for the harm inflicted on you, for the betrayal by those in power, and for falling for Mandelson’s deceit in appointing him. It pains me that you are once again subjected to the public scrutiny of this unfolding saga,” Starmer stated.
While Starmer had previously committed to disclosing the vetting advice he received prior to Mandelson’s appointment in Washington, he cited a police directive on Thursday to refrain from releasing any information that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation. Allegations suggest that Mandelson, aged 72, shared confidential government information with Epstein, who passed away in custody in 2019 following a federal indictment in the U.S.
“The fact that Mandelson was acquainted with Epstein had been public knowledge for some time, but the true nature and darkness of their relationship remained undisclosed to us,” Starmer informed the press.
Responding to inquiries from reporters, Starmer asserted that he did not consider his own error as justification for stepping down as prime minister.
“I recognize the frustration and anger,” he remarked. “I share in that anger.”
Mandelson is among numerous prominent figures whose names have surfaced in two significant releases of files initiated by the U.S. Justice Department since December in relation to Epstein investigations. Notable personalities like current President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, are mentioned in the files, either in correspondence with Epstein or in photographs.
Although being listed in the files does not imply criminal misconduct, it has raised concerns about the associations individuals had with Epstein. Mandelson has refuted being aware of the full extent of Epstein’s personal life, which included numerous allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking by women. However, his relationship with Epstein persisted beyond the latter’s 2008 conviction in Florida on charges related to prostitution.
Recent disclosures from the Epstein files suggest that in 2009, Mandelson forwarded Epstein a memorandum prepared for Brown concerning potential U.K. asset sales and tax amendments, and in 2010, he informed Epstein in advance of a European Union decision.
This week, Mandelson resigned from both his political party and the House of Lords.
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