British Prime Minister Keir Starmer admitted again before Parliament on Monday that he made a mistake in appointing former ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson to this position, despite his links to Jeffrey Epstein. This issue has weakened Starmer, who has been facing criticism for months over his decision to appoint a friend of Epstein to one of the most prestigious positions in British diplomacy, before dismissing him in September 2025.

Published on: 04/20/2026 - 21:44

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologized again before Parliament on Monday for the "mistake" of appointing former ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson to this position, despite his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Starmer, who is facing a political storm over the issue, told the House of Commons: “There was an error of judgment on my part. I should not have appointed Peter Mandelson. I take responsibility for this decision, and I renew my apologies to the victims of child abuser Jeffrey Epstein.”

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This case has weakened Starmer, who has been facing criticism for months over his decision to appoint a friend of Epstein to one of the most prestigious positions in British diplomacy, before he sacked him in September 2025, accusing him of “repeatedly lying” to the government about the extent of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019.

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The issue returned to the forefront on Thursday when The Guardian newspaper reported that the Foreign Ministry had granted Mandelson a security clearance to fill the position in January 2025, despite a negative assessment issued by the body responsible for verifying his record. But Starmer confirmed that he was not aware of this assessment until last Tuesday.

In this regard, he said: “If I had known, before (Peter Mandelson) assumed his duties, that the assessment of the body responsible for verifying his record was that he would not be granted a security clearance, I would not have appointed him” to the position of ambassador to Washington.

The labor leader, whom the opposition is demanding to resign, added, "I should have been informed of this assessment."

France 24/AFP

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