UK’s Starmer: Mandelson appointment was my ‘mistake’

LONDON — Keir Starmer said Thursday it was his mistake to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s short-lived ambassador to Washington.

In his first public statement since the release of the Mandelson files, the British prime minister repeated his apology to the victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after choosing Mandelson as the U.K.’s most senior diplomat, despite his longstanding friendship with the convicted sex offender.

A tranche of documents released Wednesday show Starmer was warned of the “reputational risks” in appointing Mandelson. His National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell said the process was “weirdly rushed.”

“The release of the information shows what was known. That led to further questions being asked,” Starmer told reporters Thursday. “Unfortunately, because of the Metropolitan Police investigation, we can’t release that information yet,” he said.

The PM added: “But that doesn’t take away from the fact that it was me that made a mistake, and it’s me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein, and I do that.”

Mandelson is under police investigation on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations of leaking internal government discussions to Epstein in the wake of the 2008 financial crash.

He has not been charged, and his lawyers have said he is cooperating with the investigation and his overriding priority is to clear his name. He has previously apologized “unequivocally” for his association with Epstein and “to the women and girls that suffered.”

Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords and the Labour Party last month.

Starmer’s key ally Morgan McSweeney resigned as his chief of staff last month taking “full responsibility” for advising the PM to choose the former Labour peer.