More embarrassing Epstein exchanges to come, says Mandelson

The UK's ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, has said he believes further "embarrassing" correspondence between himself and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein will be published.

On Tuesday, US lawmakers released a number of documents which included a letter from Lord Mandelson in which he called Epstein his "best pal".

Speaking to the You Tube channel Harry Cole Saves the West, the diplomat said it was "very embarrassing" to see the words published but added they were written "over 20 years ago".

He said he felt "a tremendous sense of regret" over his friendship with Epstein, and a "tremendous sense of sympathy" for his victims.

He likened his association with Epstein to "an albatross around my neck", adding he felt "profoundly upset that I was taken in" by a "charismatic criminal liar".

On Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister still had confidence in Lord Mandelson, adding he had "played a key part" strengthening trade and investment with the US, which had secured jobs in the UK.

Epstein had been a well-connected financier who was convicted in Florida for soliciting prostitution from a person under the age of 18 in 2008. He died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Asked why he continued his association with Epstein, Mandelson said he "fell for his lies".

"I regret very, very deeply indeed carrying on that association with him for far longer than I should have done.

"I accepted assurances he had given me about his original indictment, his original criminal case in Florida. Like very many people I took at face value what he said."

He said he never saw wrongdoing at any point while with Epstein and he "never sought, nor did [Epstein] offer introductions to women in the way that he did to others, perhaps it is because I am a gay man".

He said he couldn't "rewrite history" adding: "What I can do, what I can do is express my profound sympathy for those who were badly treated by him."

Asked if he had ever done business deals with Epstein, Lord Mandelson said: "He operated in a financial and business way, way above my level.

"Yes, he was always saying: 'Would you like to see so and so, I've got this friend, I'm having this dinner. Would you like to come?'

"He was a prolific social networker and a political networker."

Mandelson's connection with Epstein had previously been made public. In 2019 an internal report by the bank JP Morgan said Epstein kept "a particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Lord Peter Mandelson, a senior member of the British government".

The message from Mandelson was one of a number of documents in an alleged "birthday book" given to Epstein in 2003 to celebrate his 50th birthday.

Mandelson's contribution included a series of short messages each accompanied by a photograph.

In one photo of a yellow parachute in the air, he wrote: "Once upon a time, an intelligent, sharp-witted man they call 'mysterious' parachuted into my life."

"You would spend many hours just waiting for him to turn up," he said, alongside a picture of what appears to be Lord Mandelson looking out at a garden from a balcony.

"And often, no sooner were you getting used to having him around, you would suddenly be alone... again," he added above a picture of a lone person canoeing in the sea at sunset.

"Leaving you with some 'interesting' friends to entertain instead," he writes on the next page, with a photo of Lord Mandelson preparing a dining table with two women whose faces have been obscured.

Lord Mandelson goes on to write that Epstein was known for "taking you by surprise... in one of his glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum)", alongside a single malt whiskey label and a picture of a tropical island.

The book also contained messages, cards and photos sent by Epstein's friends, including a letter carrying a signature resembling US President Donald Trump. Trump has denied writing the note.