British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has lashed out at former US ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, seeking to calm anger in British politics, saying he regretted believing his "lies" before appointing him, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Starmer is under immense pressure, including from lawmakers in his own Labour Party, over his decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to Washington in December 2024, when his ties to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were already known.
Documents released by the US Justice Department last week include emails that highlight close relationship, and also suggest that Mandelson provided government documents to Epstein, who in turn recorded payments to Mandelson or his then-partner, who is now his wife.
"It has been public knowledge for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew how deep and dark that relationship was," Starmer said at the start of his speech in southern England.
Mandelson, who was a government minister when Labour was in power more than 15 years ago, resigned from his position in the upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, on Tuesday over his links to Epstein and is currently the subject of a police investigation into alleged misconduct. He has said he has no recollection of receiving payments.
Starmer's opponents and even members of his own party have said the revelations raise serious questions about his judgment. With polls showing Starmer is already extremely unpopular with the British public, some members of his own party say his position is under threat.