Peter Mandelson has declined to apologise to Jeffrey Epstein’s victims for maintaining a friendship with the convicted child sex offender, suggesting that as a gay man he was kept separate from the financier’s sexual activities. In his first broadcast interview since being sacked as US ambassador, the Labour peer told the BBC he had paid a “calamitous” price for his association with what he called an “evil monster”.
Lord Mandelson’s comments come after the release of emails showing his support for Epstein following his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. In one message, he encouraged Epstein to “fight for early release” and described him as “my best pal” in a handwritten note. The peer, who served as business secretary under Gordon Brown, said he had believed Epstein’s excuses and continued to support him out of “misplaced loyalty”.
Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said she believed Mandelson should have apologised, adding: “I think what we saw was at best deep naivety.” Labour peer Ayesha Hazarika described the interview as a “slap in the face to Epstein victims”. Mandelson insisted he knew nothing of Epstein’s sex life and was not culpable, but said he regretted that “powerless women were not given the protection they were entitled to expect”.
Mandelson was removed from his post as US ambassador in September after No 10 said it had been unaware of his correspondence with Epstein. Asked if he deserved to be sacked, he said: “I understand why I was sacked.” He added he was not seeking to reopen the issue and was “moving on”.
