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Sir Keir Starmer has expressed his apologies to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, admitting he was misled by Lord Mandelson’s falsehoods when appointing him as the UK ambassador to the United States. The Prime Minister opened a speech on community funding by directly addressing the public outrage surrounding his handling of the controversy. Although it had been known for some time that Lord Mandelson had a connection to Epstein, Starmer revealed that no one was aware of the true extent and severity of their association.
Despite the Prime Minister’s acknowledgment, criticism has come from various quarters. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described Starmer’s leadership as “untenable,” while the Liberal Democrats have pushed for a confidence vote among Labour MPs to test their support for him. Several members within Starmer’s own party have openly questioned Mandelson’s appointment and expressed frustration over the government’s initial hesitance to release all related documents, casting doubt on whether the Prime Minister can maintain his position.
In response to the growing backlash, the government has agreed that sensitive materials potentially harming national security or diplomatic relations will now be reviewed by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee to decide on their publication, rather than withholding them outright. Addressing Epstein’s victims directly, Starmer stated, “I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him and sorry that even now you’re forced to watch this story unfold in public once again.” He promised that the government would relentlessly pursue the truth and uphold public integrity, asserting, “That is what the public expects. That is what the victims deserve, and it is what I will do.”
Lord Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador occurred in December 2024 amid public knowledge of his friendship with Epstein even after Epstein’s conviction for soliciting sex from a minor. The Financial Times had reported emails in 2023 indicating Mandelson stayed at Epstein’s Manhattan residence in 2009, during Epstein’s imprisonment. Starmer disclosed that Mandelson was asked pointedly about his relationship with Epstein prior to his ambassadorial appointment, including whether he had stayed at Epstein’s home post-conviction or accepted any gifts. Starmer asserted, “The information now available makes clear that the answers he gave were lies.” Mandelson characterized Epstein as someone he barely knew, a portrayal Starmer rejected before ultimately sacking him upon learning the truth. The BBC notes that Mandelson maintains he answered vetting questions truthfully.
Following Starmer’s speech, several Labour MPs continued to question whether he should resign, though many of those calls came from longstanding critics of his leadership. Labour MP Rachael Maskell described his position as “untenable,” while Paula Barker criticized his judgment and emphasized the need for him to rebuild trust within the party and with the public. Jonathan Hinder condemned the ambassadorial appointment as a “catastrophic error of political and moral judgement” and urged Starmer to engage with MPs to restore confidence.
Lord Mandelson was dismissed last September after new emails emerged showing messages of support to Epstein following his guilty pleas to sex offenses. Additional documents recently released by the US Department of Justice have revealed more details of their relationship, including emails suggesting Epstein made payments worth thousands of pounds to Mandelson and his partner. Police are investigating allegations regarding misconduct in public office, based on emails that imply Mandelson may have passed market-sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as business secretary in the 2009 financial crisis. Mandelson has not publicly responded to these allegations but maintains he has committed no criminal acts and was not motivated by financial gain
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