Labour peer and former cabinet minister Peter Mandelson has performed a sudden and public U-turn, issuing an unequivocal apology for his past association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Controversial Interview Sparks Backlash
The apology comes just a day after Mandelson gave an interview to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, which was broadcast on Sunday, 11 January. In that conversation, he declined to apologise, stating he did not want to be held responsible for crimes he was unaware of. He suggested that, as a gay man, he had no knowledge of the disgraced financier's illicit sex life.
Mandelson was sacked from his role as the UK's ambassador to the United States in September when details of his support for Epstein emerged. The interview was his first major public commentary on the scandal since his dismissal.
A Full and Unequivocal Apology
On Monday night, facing significant criticism, Mandelson released a starkly different statement. He expressed regret for believing Epstein's lies and for maintaining contact with him after his conviction.
"I want to say loudly and clearly that I was wrong to believe him following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards," Mandelson said. "I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered."
He insisted he was never "culpable or complicit" in Epstein's crimes, learning the full extent of the truth only after the financier's death. However, he acknowledged the failure to listen to victims, stating: "their voices were not heard and I am truly sorry I was amongst those who believed him over them."
Repercussions and Ongoing Scrutiny
The rapid reversal highlights the intense pressure on public figures linked to Epstein. Mandelson's initial defence, which linked his sexuality to a lack of awareness, was widely criticised as irrelevant and inappropriate.
This episode continues to cast a long shadow over Mandelson's political legacy and raises further questions about the networks that enabled Epstein's crimes. The statement aims to draw a line under the affair, but the political and personal fallout is likely to persist.
