<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="http://9news.com.au/" rel="" target="" title="British"><span>British</span></a><span> Prime Minister </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/keir-starmer" rel="" target="" title="Keir Starmer"><span>Keir Starmer</span></a><span> has apologised to victims of </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/jeffrey-epstein" rel="" target="" title="Jeffrey Epstein"><span>Jeffrey Epstein</span></a><span> for appointing Peter Mandelson as the </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/uk" rel="" target="" title="UK's"><span>UK's</span></a><span> ambassador to </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/washington" rel="" target="" title="Washington"><span>Washington</span></a><span> despite his ties to the disgraced financier.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a speech on Thursday, he said "I am sorry … for having believed Mandelson's lies and appointed him." The prime minister said Mandelson had "portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Starmer fired Mandelson in September after emails were published showing that he maintained a friendship with Epstein following the late financier's 2008 conviction for sex offences involving a minor.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Epstein died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019, while awaiting trial on US federal charges accusing him of sexually abusing dozens of girls.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Starmer never met Epstein and is not accused of any wrongdoing. But the prime minister is under intense pressure over the appointment after newly released documents revealed new details of Mandelson's close relationship with Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I was lied to," Starmer said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship," he added.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/jeffrey-epstein-update-uk-prime-minister-keir-starmer-apologises-to-victims-for-giving-peter-mandelson-us-ambassadorial-job/4473b743-f8cb-4c05-abcf-08ea8017a553" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>British police are investigating Mandelson over potential misconduct in public office. He is not accused of any sexual offences.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Documents published last week by the US Department of Justice contain new revelations, including papers suggesting Mandelson shared sensitive government information with Epstein after the 2008 global financial crisis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are also scores of chatty, jokey messages pointing to a much closer relationship than Mandelson had previously disclosed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The newly released files also suggest that in 2003 to 2004, Epstein sent three payments totalling $US75,000 ($107,000) to accounts linked to Mandelson or his partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva, now his husband.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mandelson, 72, has been a major, and contentious, figure in the Labour Party since the 1990s.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He twice had to resign from senior posts in previous administrations because of scandals over money or ethics.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was chosen as ambassador because his trade expertise, network of contents and mastery of the political "dark arts" were considered assets in dealing with US President Donald Trump's administration.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Critics say Mandelson's ties with Epstein made his appointment too risky and Starmer was, at best, naive.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think the prime minister has shown that his judgment is questionable," Labour politician Paula Barker said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think he has questions to answer. I think he has a very long way to go to rebuild trust and confidence with the public, and trust and confidence within our party."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>