In a highly anticipated television interview, Labour peer Lord Peter Mandelson has refused to issue a direct apology to the victims of convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein for their friendship. The former UK ambassador to the United States described the association as "a terrible mistake" he would regret for life.
"A Terrible Mistake" But No Direct Apology
Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC in his first interview since being dismissed as ambassador, Lord Mandelson addressed the "toe curling" emails in which he had called Epstein his "best pal". He claimed he was "on the fringes" of the disgraced financier's life. When pressed on whether he would apologise to Epstein's victims for the friendship, especially after Epstein's conviction, Mandelson offered a conditional response.
He stated: "If I had known, if I was in any way complicit or culpable, of course I would apologise… but I was not culpable, I was not knowledgeable for what he was doing." Instead, he apologised for "a system that refused to hear their voices and did not give them the protection they were entitled to expect."
Implied Disagreement Over Ambassador Sacking
The Labour grandee strongly suggested he disagreed with Prime Minister's decision to sack him from the prestigious diplomatic post in Washington. His dismissal in late 2025 came after the emergence of new emails and texts detailing his relationship with Epstein.
Asked directly if he deserved to be sacked, Lord Mandelson replied: "I understand why I was sacked." He expressed shock at the publication of the emails, claiming they "no longer existed on my server" and that he was unable to share correspondence he did not recall.
Government Reaction and Fallout
The interview prompted an angry response from the government. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she believed Mandelson should have apologised directly to Epstein's victims. She defended the Prime Minister's swift action, stating the full nature of the relationship only became clear when the emails were published in September 2025.
"That's why the Prime Minister acted swiftly, took immediate action to remove him as the ambassador to the United States," Alexander concluded. The fallout from Lord Mandelson's comments and his association with Jeffrey Epstein continues to develop as a major political scandal.
