United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein for his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a friend of the late sex offender, as US ambassador in 2024.
Starmer is under huge pressure, including from lawmakers in his own Labour Party, over the decision to make Mandelson the UK's ambassador to Washington in December 2024, when Mandelson's ties to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were already known.
The latest crisis to hit his government follows fresh allegations about the ex-envoy's ties to Epstein which emerged in newly-released files last week.
They have raised doubts about Starmer's judgement and left some — including within his ruling centre-left Labour party — questioning if he can remain prime minister.
"I am sorry," Starmer said, addressing his apology to Epstein victims who "have seen accountability delayed and too often denied to them".
"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," he added, ahead of delivering a speech on defending British values.
Facing questions about whether he could remain in power, Starmer detailed his government's priorities, before adding: "I intend to go on doing that vital work".
The latest revelations
Starmer fired former UK minister and EU trade commissioner Mandelson in September after only seven months as US ambassador, following an earlier release of files about Epstein.
The ex-envoy was one of numerous prominent figures again put in the spotlight after last week's release of documents associated with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 by suicide while facing sex trafficking charges.
The latest batch released by the US Justice Department included emails appearing to show just how close that relationship was, and also suggested Mandelson had shared government documents with Epstein.
Starmer said on Thursday that Mandelson had repeatedly lied to secure the Washington job and that he had not previously known about the "depth and darkness" of his Epstein friendship.
However, the prime minister confirmed on Wednesday he was aware ties had endured despite the disgraced financier's 2008 US conviction for soliciting a minor.
MPs forced the government in a vote to submit all documents related to the appointment to parliament's cross-party Intelligence and Security Committee for disclosure, rather than allowing ministers and officials to choose what to release.
Starmer facing intense backlash
"The mood yesterday was the angriest I think I've ever seen Labour MPs in the 16 years that I've been in parliament," Labour MP Karl Turner told Times Radio on Thursday. "We can't pretend that this is not a crisis situation."
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch said on Thursday Starmer's position was "clearly untenable".
Urging Labour MPs to support calls to hold a no-confidence vote in him in parliament — where Labour has a comfortable majority — she said it was "a question of when, not if, he goes".
Mandelson, 72, who has not publicly commented on the crisis this week, was for decades a pivotal and divisive figure in British politics. He twice resigned from government for alleged misconduct.
The latest revelations prompted his resignation from parliament's unelected House of Lords earlier this week.
He is also the subject of a police investigation into claims of misconduct in a public office which — if arrested, charged and convicted — could lead to a prison term.
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