Zürcher Nachrichten - UK PM says Mandelson 'lied', regrets appointing him US envoy

"He's betrayed our country, he's lied repeatedly, he's responsible for a litany of deceit, but this moment demands not just anger, but action," Starmer told parliament.

Starmer said he did know about Mandelson's ongoing ties to Epstein but accused the former minister and EU trade commissioner "time and time again" of failing to reveal the extent of their relationship during the vetting for the Washington role last year.

The prime minister's judgement is under growing scrutiny following new allegations that his former top envoy in the United States had passed confidential information to the late US sex offender Epstein nearly two decades ago.

UK police have announced they are now probing the claims, which emerged from email exchanges between the pair that revealed the extent of their warm relations, financial dealings as well as private photos.

Around that time, Epstein was serving an 18-month jail term for soliciting a minor in Florida while Mandelson was a UK government minister under then-leader Gordon Brown.

"He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador," Starmer told MPs during a parliamentary grilling.

"I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government."

- 'It was on Google' -

For decades a pivotal and often divisive figure in British politics, Mandelson has had a chequered career and has twice resigned from government for alleged misconduct.

Starmer sacked him as ambassador in September after only seven months in post following an earlier Epstein files release.

On Tuesday, Mandelson resigned from the upper house of parliament -- the unelected House of Lords -- after the latest release of Epstein files sparked renewed furore.

The main Conservative opposition will use its parliamentary time Wednesday to try to force the release of papers on his appointment in Washington.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch insisted Starmer did know about Mandelson's ongoing Epstein ties. "He did know, it was on Google," she said.

"I asked him at that despatch box, he gave Mandelson his full confidence at that despatch box, not once, but twice. He only sacked him after pressure from us."

They want MPs to order the publication of all documents related to Mandelson getting the job in February last year.

Starmer vowed Wednesday to disclose the documents, barring any elements that might harm national security and international relations.

"I want to make sure this House sees the full documentation so it will see for itself the extent to which time and time again Mandelson completely misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein."

Starmer also noted his team were drafting legislation "to strip Mandelson of his title" while head of state King Charles III was set to remove him from the list of privy counsellors able to advise the monarch.

- Criminal probe -

London's Metropolitan Police confirmed on Tuesday it had launched an investigation into 72-year-old Mandelson for misconduct in public office offences following the latest revelations.

If any charges were brought and he was convicted, he could potentially face imprisonment.

The scandal resurfaced after the release by the US Justice Department of the latest batch of documents. They showed Mandelson had forwarded in 2009 an economic briefing to Epstein intended for Brown.

In another 2010 email the US financier, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, asked Mandelson about the European Union's bailout of Greece.

The latest release also showed Epstein appeared to have transferred a total of $75,000 in three payments to accounts linked to the British politician between 2003 and 2004.

Mandelson has told the BBC he had no memory of the money transfers and did not know whether the documents were authentic.

The EU is also investigating whether Mandelson breached any of their rules during his time from 2004-2008 as trade commissioner.

F.Carpenteri--NZN