- By Priyanka Koul
- Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:02 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday, admitting he had been misled by Peter Mandelson when appointing him as UK Ambassador to the United States. Starmer expressed regret over the decision, saying that Mandelson had created a "litany of deceit" regarding his connections to the convicted US sex offender.
In his statement, the Prime Minister revealed that Mandelson had "portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew." He continued, "I am sorry... for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him."
Starmer dismissed Mandelson from his position in September after emails surfaced showing the former Labour peer had maintained a friendship with Epstein, even after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offences involving a minor.
Meanwhile, under increasing pressure from Labour MPs, Starmer has agreed to allow a full examination of the documents surrounding Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador, as reported by Politico.
According to Politico, Starmer had earlier pledged to release material linked to Mandelson's nomination but proposed national security and international relations exemptions.
However, on late Wednesday, the UK government agreed to refer all relevant documents to the UK Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee after Labour Party MPs threatened to rebel during a House of Commons vote.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer strongly criticised Mandelson, accusing the former Labour peer of "lying repeatedly" to his team during the vetting process, as Politico reported.
Starmer said that official security checks revealed Mandelson’s ongoing association with Epstein, which Mandelson had denied when questioned before taking up the ambassadorial role in Washington.
"He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador. I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government," Starmer said, as quoted by Politico.
The Prime Minister stated that MPs had a right to see the full extent of Mandelson's misrepresentation of his relationship with Epstein, including during due diligence checks. He also confirmed that Mandelson would be stripped of his membership in the Privy Council, as reported by Politico.
The Conservative Party had demanded the release of the due diligence documents submitted to Downing Street, as well as conflict-of-interest declarations concerning Mandelson’s work in Russia and China, and correspondence between Mandelson, ministers, and the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney.
Although the government had initially agreed to provide the requested documents with some exclusions for sensitive material, it later consented to have the documents reviewed by the Intelligence and Security Committee instead.
Some Labour MPs, however, expressed concern that the government should not oversee its own disclosures, warning that this could lead to a potential cover-up.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that Mandelson is under investigation for alleged misconduct in public office. This follows reports that he may have shared sensitive government discussions with Epstein during the financial crisis, according to Politico.
Starmer said police had contacted the government to flag issues that could prejudice the ongoing investigation.
Mandelson has previously admitted that his continued association with Epstein was a serious mistake and has apologised to Epstein’s victims. He has since resigned from the House of Lords and left the Labour Party following the release of further correspondence related to the Epstein files, as reported by Politico.
The Prime Minister now faces renewed pressure over the appointment, following the release of new documents that detail the extent of Mandelson’s close relationship with Epstein.
( With Inputs from Agencies )