Lord Peter Mandelson has offered an “unequivocal” apology to the victims of the paedophile financier for not breaking contact with him after his conviction.
Over the weekend, the former UK ambassador to the US, who was sacked last autumn, refused to apologise to Epstein’s victims in a broadcast interview.
An image of Peter Mandelson in a white dressing gown laughing with Epstein was included in his 50th birthday book
When he spoke to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he apologised for a system which meant Epstein’s victims were not listened to, but not for his own association with the sex offender which continued after his first conviction.
But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey questioned the “sincerity” of his latest apology and said stripping Lord Mandelson’s peerage “should be absolutely considered”.
He added: “What he has done and said goes some way, but I’m not sure if he’s done it quite with the sincerity that is required.
“It was shocking what happened and whenever this comes up we have to remember the victims in the Epstein scandal.”
Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to solicitating prostitution and soliciting a minor, but Lord Mandelson said he believed his excuses and continued to support him.
In a statement released on Monday evening to the BBC’s Newsnight, Lord Mandelson, who was Northern Ireland Secretary from 1999 to 2001, offered a more direct apology.
Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to solicitating prostitution and soliciting a minor (US Department of Justice/PA)
Lord Mandelson told the programme: “Yesterday, I did not want to be held responsible for his (Epstein’s) crimes of which I was ignorant, not indifferent, because of the lies he told me and so many others.
“I was wrong to believe him following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered.”
In the interview aired on Sunday, Lord Mandelson had said it was “misplaced loyalty” and “a most terrible mistake on my part”.
He sought to distance himself from Epstein, saying “I was at the edge of this man’s life”, but emails have revealed the extent of their friendship even after the conviction.
Emails showed Lord Mandelson told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
He is also reported to have told Epstein “I think the world of you” the day before the disgraced financier began his jail sentence.
Lord Mandelson suggested Epstein excluded him from the “sexual side” of his life because he was gay.
Asked by Laura Kuenssberg whether he wanted to apologise, Lord Mandelson said: “I want to apologise to those women for a system that refused to hear their voices and did not give them the protection they were entitled to expect.”