British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday he regretted appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S. after fresh allegations surfaced about Mandelson’s ties to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The U.K. leader was set to release documents linked to the appointment of the former peer Mandelson, 72, one of numerous prominent figures embarrassed by revelations of ties to Epstein.
"He's betrayed our country, he's lied repeatedly, he's responsible for a litany of deceit, but this moment demands not just anger, but action," Starmer told parliament.
Starmer accused the former minister and EU trade commissioner of failing "time and time again" to reveal the full extent of his relationship with Epstein during vetting for the Washington role last year.
Starmer's government agreed to submit to the Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee all documents in connection with the appointment, following growing anger from the opposition and some members of Starmer's own Labour Party.
The prime minister's judgment is under scrutiny following new allegations that Mandelson had passed confidential and potentially market-sensitive information to Epstein nearly two decades ago.
"He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador," Starmer told MPs during a parliamentary grilling.
"I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government."
U.K. police have announced they are probing the claims, which emerged from email exchanges between Mandelson and Epstein that revealed their warm relations and financial dealings, as well as private photos.
Around that time, Epstein was serving an 18-month jail term in 2008-2009 for soliciting a minor in Florida, while Mandelson was a U.K. government minister.
The mails were part of a vast trove of files about Epstein published by the U.S. Justice Department.
Epstein was facing charges of alleged sex trafficking when he killed himself in jail in 2019.
Mandelson, for decades a pivotal and divisive figure in British politics, has had a chequered career and has twice resigned from government for alleged misconduct.
Starmer sacked him as ambassador in September after only seven months in the post following an earlier release of files about Epstein.
On Tuesday, Mandelson resigned from the upper house of parliament – the unelected House of Lords – after the latest release of files.
Other emails in the latest tranche appear to show Mandelson celebrating the American financier's release from prison in July 2009 as "Liberation Day!"
A day later, Mandelson asked Epstein: "How is freedom feeling?" Epstein replied: "She feels fresh, firm, and creamy."
Mandelson then replied: "Naughty boy."
The lewd comments were slammed by U.K. MPs, who put pressure on Starmer to explain his decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador in February 2025.
"Did he think at all about Epstein's victims?" asked Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey.
Pledging to release the vetting documents, Starmer said he wanted MPs to see how "Mandelson completely misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein."
London's Metropolitan Police confirmed Tuesday it had launched an investigation into Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
If any charges were brought and he were convicted, he could potentially face imprisonment.
The latest batch of US documents showed that in 2009, Mandelson had forwarded an economic briefing to Epstein, intended for then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The latest release also showed Epstein appeared to have transferred a total of $75,000 in three payments to accounts linked to the British politician between 2003 and 2004.
Mandelson has told the BBC he had no memory of the money transfers and did not know whether the documents were authentic.
The EU is also investigating whether Mandelson breached any of its rules during his time as trade commissioner from 2004 to 2008.
The former minister, who is gay, had previously claimed to have been excluded from Epstein's sexual activities.
