Peter Mandelson Issues Full Apology Over Friendship with Convicted Sex Offender Jeffrey Epstein

Peter Mandelson, former British ambassador to the United States and veteran Labour politician, has issued a full apology for maintaining his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, acknowledging that his continued association was wrong.

Mandelson, who was dismissed from his ambassadorial post in September over his ties to Epstein, faced mounting criticism after offering only a partial apology over failures in the system that allowed Epstein’s crimes to go unchecked. On Monday, he sent a statement to the BBC’s Newsnight, expressing regret for continuing to associate with Epstein after his conviction.

“Yesterday, I did not want to be held responsible for his crimes, of which I was ignorant, not indifferent, because of the lies he told me and so many others,” Mandelson said. “I was wrong to believe him following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologize unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered.”

The controversy surrounding Mandelson intensified after US lawmakers released documents, including a “birthday book” compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, in which Mandelson described the financier as “my best pal.” Emails later published by Bloomberg showed Mandelson expressing support for Epstein and offering to discuss his 2008 Florida case with political contacts.

During a BBC interview on Sunday, Mandelson initially refused to apologize for maintaining ties with Epstein after his guilty plea on two state prostitution charges. He acknowledged the failures of the system in protecting Epstein’s victims, saying, “I want to apologize to those women for a system that refused to hear their voices and did not give them the protection they were entitled to expect.”

Mandelson, who is currently on leave from the UK House of Lords, also noted that he was “kept separate” from Epstein’s sexual activities due to his own sexuality. However, Monday’s statement signaled a shift toward greater sensitivity toward the victims.

The scandal has continued to draw intense scrutiny, raising questions about the influence of high-profile political figures and the networks that enabled Epstein.