PM swerves questions on whether he spoke to Mandelson over Epstein friendship

Sir Keir Starmer has avoided saying whether he spoke to Peter Mandelson about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, before picking the peer as the UK's ambassador to the US.

Despite repeated questioning in the Commons from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Sir Keir did not confirm if a conversation had taken place, instead apologising for the appointment and attacking Badenoch for her stance on Iran.

Badenoch accused Sir Keir of outsourcing decisions to his staff and failing to be straight with MPs.

Documents released last week revealed the prime minister was warned that Lord Mandelson's relationship with Epstein posed a "reputational risk".

The 147 pages were the first batch of files to be released, after MPs voted for the government to publish documents about Lord Mandelson's appointment.

The papers included a reference to a 2019 report commissioned by US bank JP Morgan which said Epstein appeared to "maintain a particularly close relationship" with Lord Mandelson.

The document also notes that the peer reportedly stayed in Epstein's house while the financier was in jail in June 2009.

Lord Mandelson was sacked as ambassador last September following new information about his friendship with Epstein. The prime minister has previously said he did not know the extent and depth of the two men's relationship when he chose Lord Mandelson as his Washington ambassador.

Further revelations contained in the release of Epstein files in the US at the start of the year prompted a crisis of leadership for the prime minister, and led to the resignation of his key aide Morgan McSweeney.

Lord Mandelson maintains that he did not lie to the prime minister, does not recall being asked questions about Epstein face-to-face during vetting interviews and answered written questions about his contact with the sex offender after his conviction truthfully and fully.

The Times has reported that the prime minister did not speak to Lord Mandelson prior to his appointment, instead asking his then chief of staff McSweeney to question the peer about his links to Epstein.

Badenoch used Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions - the first since the first set of Mandelson documents were published - to repeatedly press Sir Keir on his actions ahead of the appointment.

"The prime minister tried to avoid scrutiny on the Mandelson files by releasing the documents immediately after Prime Minister's Questions last week," she said.

"So let me ask him now, did the prime minister personally speak to Peter Mandelson about his relationship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him as our ambassador to Washington?"

In reply, Sir Keir said: "This was my mistake in making the appointment, and I've apologised to the victims of Epstein, I do so again.

"The matter of process was looked at by the independent adviser on ministerial standards. It's clear the appointment process wasn't strong enough, and that's why I've already strengthened it.

"But it was my mistake, and I've apologised for it. She should follow suit and apologise for her gross error of judgement in calling for the UK to join the war in Iran without thinking through the consequences."

Badenoch replied: "He is right, it is about his judgement.

"He has repeatedly told us that Peter Mandelson lied to him, but he won't tell us if he actually picked up the phone and spoke to Mandelson before appointing him.

"If the prime minister didn't speak to him, how can he say he lied to him?"

The prime minister repeated his previous argument that the process had been examined by his ethics adviser before moving on to criticise the Conservative shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy, for describing Muslims - including London Mayor Sadiq Khan - praying in Trafalgar Square as "an act of domination".

Sir Keir said Timothy should be sacked for his "appalling" comments.

Badenoch said her shadow justice secretary was "defending British values" and accused the prime minister of trying to avoid the question.

Asked about the Mandelson appointment following Prime Minister's Questions, a No 10 spokesman said: "The full process at the time of the appointment was followed, there was no requirement for a formal interview with the prime minister as part of that process."