Prime Minister's Claims About Mandelson-Epstein Links Face Scrutiny
Critics have today cast serious doubt on Sir Keir Starmer's assertion that he accepted Lord Mandelson's claim of "barely knowing" Jeffrey Epstein, given the extensive historical reporting about their documented relationship. The Prime Minister's defence of his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the United States last year has sparked a fresh political crisis, with opposition leaders accusing him of obfuscation and weak leadership.
Starmer's Hastings Speech Addresses Growing Scandal
During a speech in Hastings this morning, Sir Keir directly confronted the scandal that has engulfed his premiership. He insisted that "none of us knew the depth of the darkness" surrounding Lord Mandelson's friendship with Epstein, the convicted sex offender. The Prime Minister revealed that before the ambassadorial appointment, Lord Mandelson was "asked directly" about the nature of his relationship with Epstein.
"The information now available makes clear that the answers he gave were lies," Sir Keir stated. "He portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew. And when that became clear and it was not true, I sacked him. Such deceit is incompatible with public service." The Prime Minister expressed regret for having believed Mandelson's claims and for appointing him to the prestigious diplomatic role in February 2025.
Documented Evidence Contradicts Mandelson's Claims
However, significant questions have emerged about Sir Keir's suggestion that he had "no reason" to doubt Lord Mandelson's answers during the vetting process. Critics point to numerous photographs and reports that have circulated for years, clearly depicting a social relationship between the two men.
Key documented evidence includes:
- Photographs published by the Daily Mail in August 2019 showing Lord Mandelson and Epstein shopping together on the luxury Caribbean island of St Barts in December 2005, with Mandelson trying on a white belt while serving as EU trade commissioner.
- A January 2022 photograph published by The Sun depicting both men in Epstein's Paris flat as the financier blew out birthday cake candles, taken after Epstein had been formally charged with soliciting prostitution in August 2006.
- A June 2023 Financial Times report using the same Paris photograph to detail "repeated meetings" between Lord Mandelson and Epstein, referencing an internal JP Morgan dossier that noted Epstein maintained "a particularly close relationship" with both Prince Andrew and Lord Mandelson.
Political Reactions and Further Revelations
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of deliberate obfuscation following his Thursday morning comments, stating the Prime Minister had been "banged to rights" over the scandal. "Sir Keir will do everything he can to stay in office and he is going to use every trick in the book – do not buy it," she warned.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the Prime Minister's apology as "very weak" and "not quite believable." The criticism comes amid further revelations from the Financial Times report, which suggested Lord Mandelson may have stayed at Epstein's lavish Manhattan townhouse in June 2009 while serving as business secretary, during a period when Epstein was imprisoned for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Historical Context and Previous Questioning
Sir Keir himself faced questions about Lord Mandelson's Epstein links during a January 2024 press conference, where journalists asked about the Financial Times article. At that time, the Labour leader told reporters: "I do try to give pretty full answers in these sessions. I don't know any more than you do. Therefore there's not really much I can add to what you already know, I'm afraid. And that's simply the state of the affairs."
When pressed on Thursday afternoon about why the Prime Minister claimed to have "no reason" to doubt Lord Mandelson's answers despite the widespread reporting, Sir Keir's official spokesman stated: "The PM has been clear that the checks conducted on Mandelson need to be looked at. He's got concerns about what the process disclosed and that's why it's being looked at." This admission suggests potential failures in the vetting process that allowed Mandelson's appointment to proceed despite the documented evidence of his relationship with the convicted financier.
