Mandelson, the current UK ambassador to the US and a Labour peer, left a message for the paedophile’s 50th birthday where he described Epstein as an “intelligent, sharp-witted man”, who “parachuted” into his life.
Democrats in Congress released copies of the “birthday book” after the documents were subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee last month.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s girlfriend and co-conspirator, was reportedly the one who put together the book, which is dated three years before allegations of sex abuse by the billionaire became public in 2006.
READ MORE: Wes Streeting defends Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein
And now, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson has said that Keir Starmer has confidence in Mandelson, despite the revelations.
During Tuesday’s lobby briefing, the spokesman said that the UK Government is “focused, obviously, on our relationship” with the US, when asked about Mandelson.
“We’ve got President Trump coming from an unprecedented state visit next week to build on the progress we’ve already made between our governments,” he said.
Asked if Number 10 still had confidence in Mandelson, the spokesman replied: “Yes, and as I say, the ambassador [has] played a key part in all of the achievements I’ve just run through when it comes to strengthening the trade relationship with the US, the UK-US defence deal, and work between Putin’s war.”
Asked about his comments that Epstein, a convicted paedophile, was his “best pal”, the spokesman refused to be drawn.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman insisted he was not excusing past behaviours, and repeatedly pointed journalists to previous comments made by Mandelson.
Asked if Starmer knew about their relationship, the spokesman said: “As I say, Lord Mandelson’s comments have been a matter of public record for some time so you’ve got his comments on that.”
He again refused to be drawn on if Mandelson calling Epstein his “best pal” would cause reputational damage for the UK, and pointed to previous comments made by the ambassador.
READ MORE: UK Government rules Israel is not committing genocide in Palestine
“Our focus is on strengthening the UK-US special relationship to grow the economy here at home,” he said.
Mandelson’s spokesperson said that his connection to Epstein “has been a matter of public record for some time” when approached for comment by the BBC.
In May, Mandelson said: “My knowledge of him is something I regret, I wish I’d never met him in the first place.”
The ambassador’s links to Epstein were exposed in a report by JP Morgan bank, filed in a New York court in 2019.
The internal JPMorgan report indicated that Epstein was close enough to Mandelson to call him “Petie”
