London, September 16 (HS): Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has conceded he would never have appointed Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States had he known the full extent of his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In his first remarks since sacking Mandelson last week, Starmer acknowledged that the peer had passed official vetting checks but said recently leaked emails showed “a far deeper relationship” with Epstein than he had previously understood. “Had I known then what I know now, I’d have never appointed him,” the prime minister said.

The 2008 emails revealed Mandelson offered support to Epstein after his guilty plea, telling him he “thought the world” of him and urging him to “fight for early release” before he began an 18‑month prison sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Starmer condemned the messages, saying they “cut across the whole approach I’ve taken on violence against women and girls for many years.”

The fallout has intensified political pressure on the prime minister, with the Speaker granting an emergency debate in Parliament and the Foreign Affairs Committee demanding evidence on Mandelson’s clearance. The Conservatives are pressing Starmer to release documents related to the appointment, while Labour MPs voiced growing concern over his judgment and leadership, particularly after the recent resignation of Deputy PM Angela Rayner and senior aide Paul Ovenden.

With President Donald Trump’s state visit looming and Labour’s annual conference approaching, Starmer faces a mounting challenge to contain the scandal and reassert control over his government.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar