Starmer apologises to Epstein victims over Mandelson role as Badenoch calls on PM to quit
Keir Starmer has vowed to stay on as Prime Minister, denying knowing the “depth and darkness” of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed the disgraced politician as US ambassador.
Speaking at an event in east Sussex, the Prime Minister apologised to Epstein’s victims saying he was “sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointing him”.
“It has been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew the depth of the darkness of that relationship,” he said.
Starmer addressed the scandal – the latest and gravest of his time in office and which has left his premiership hanging by a thread – at the start of his speech. He told reporters he had asked the former deputy Prime Minister to outline the nature of his ties to the convicted sex trafficker – and if he had ever accepted gifts or money from him – during the recruitment process for the diplomatic role in 2024.
“The information now available makes clear that the answers he gave were lies,” he said.
“He portrayed Epstein pras someone he barely knew. And when that became clear and it was not true, I sacked him. Such deceit is incompatible with public service.”
The address had been arranged to focus on a fresh package for high streets that ministers have dubbed ‘Pride in Place’. Under the pilot initiative – worth up to £800m – locals in 40 areas across England will be handed up to £20m to improve their local area.
Starmer wants Mandelson documents released ‘as soon as possible’
But it was waylaid by this week’s revelations of the true extent of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein. In what has become one of the biggest political scandals of the century, the so-called Epstein files have revealed the former politician was in regular contact with the convicted paedophile. They show Mandelson sharing highly market sensitive information as business secretary, visited him after a 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, and that husband accepted regular payments the financier.
The revelations have left Mandelson facing a Metropolitan Police investigation, and is set to be stripped of his peerage.
They have also plunged Starmer’s administration into disarray. Several Labour MPs have suggested he should quit, and has been forced by Parliament to publish documents relating to his appointment to the UK’s most eminent ambassadorial role.
Kemi Badenoch added her name to the growing ranks of politicians calling for the Prime Minister to step down. In a hastily arranged news conference, the leader of the opposition urged Labour backbenchers to call a no confidence vote in Starmer.
“Britain is not being governed,” she said. “That is what this speech is about. We need a better government. Labour was voted in with a huge majority. They have a majority of about 160. And they can’t get anything is done. Something is wrong.”
The Prime Minister added that he hoped the documents would be released “as quickly as possible” to Parliament, but said the police had prevented him from releasing information that may prejudice their investigation or any future trial.
The developments led to a sell-off in UK government bonds, known as gilts, and caused the pound to slide on speculation over the Prime Minister’s future. Sterling dropped 0.5 per cent on the dollar and Britain’s long-dated borrowing costs – which had been falling in the early stages of the year – climbed to their highest since last November.