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斯塔默就輕信曼德爾森的“謊言”向愛潑斯坦受害者道歉
Becky Morton Political reporter 貝基·莫頓 政治記者
Starmer apologises to Epstein victims for believing Mandelson's 'lies'
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp37v4kyv3eo
基爾·斯塔默爵士就任命曼德爾森為英國駐美大使一事向愛潑斯坦受害者道歉
基爾·斯塔默爵士就輕信曼德爾森勳爵的“謊言”並任命其為英國駐美大使一事向傑弗裏·愛潑斯坦的受害者道歉。
首相在就改善地方社區的資金問題發表講話時，首先回應了公眾對他處理此事方式日益增長的憤怒。
他承認，公眾早就知道曼德爾森勳爵認識愛潑斯坦，但他表示：“我們誰也不知道這段關係的深度和黑暗之處。”
然而，保守黨領袖凱米·巴德諾克表示，首相的處境“岌岌可危”，而自由民主黨則呼籲進行信任投票，以檢驗工黨議員是否支持他。
首相正麵臨著來自部分工黨議員的辭職呼聲。
雖然少數公開表達辭職意願的後座議員經常批評首相，但更多的人私下裏表達了擔憂。
基爾·斯塔默爵士的前政治主任盧克·沙利文表示，他認為首相正在“為保住首相之位而戰”。
他告訴BBC新聞節目：“我認為，無論怎麽強調首相所處的形勢和危險程度都不為過。”
為了平息這場風波，斯塔默爵士早些時候在一次演講中表示，他後悔任命曼德爾森勳爵，如果他早知道現在的情況，就不會做出這樣的決定。
他直接向愛潑斯坦的受害者們說道：“我很抱歉，為你們所遭受的一切感到抱歉，為那麽多有權有勢的人辜負了你們而感到抱歉。為我輕信曼德爾森的謊言並任命他而感到抱歉，也為你們現在被迫再次目睹這個故事在公眾麵前上演而感到抱歉。”
愛潑斯坦案的幸存者瑪麗娜·拉塞爾達在回應基爾·斯塔默爵士的道歉時表示：“我必須讚揚他敢於在全國電視台上承認錯誤並向我們道歉。”
她在接受BBC《新聞之夜》節目采訪時表示：“我認為這是一個巨大的進步，對吧？在美國，有些人甚至都沒有嚐試向我們道歉。”
“所以我必須為此讚揚他。”
基爾·斯塔默爵士承諾將公布一些文件，他表示這些文件將證明曼德爾森勳爵在接受美國大使職位審查時，就他與愛潑斯坦的友誼程度撒了謊。
政府原本計劃扣留一些敏感材料，但在工黨後座議員的壓力下被迫讓步。
經過下議院投票，政府將把可能損害國家安全或外交關係的文件提交給議會情報與安全委員會（ISC），而不是扣留。
情報與安全委員會表示，政府應該決定哪些文件公開，哪些文件保密。
他們表示，這項工作將由內閣秘書負責，預計這些文件將“很快”提交議會。
曼德爾森勳爵被任命為美國駐英國大使時…… 2024年12月，曼德爾森勳爵被任命為大使。眾所周知，在愛潑斯坦因引誘未成年人性交易被定罪後，他仍與愛潑斯坦保持著友誼。
2023年，《金融時報》報道稱，有電子郵件顯示，2009年愛潑斯坦入獄期間，曼德爾森勳爵曾住在愛潑斯坦位於曼哈頓的豪宅裏。
首相表示，在曼德爾森勳爵被任命為大使之前，他曾被直接問及與愛潑斯坦的關係，包括他是否在愛潑斯坦被定罪後住在其家中，以及是否接受過愛潑斯坦的禮物和款待。
“現在掌握的信息清楚地表明，他之前的回答都是謊言，”首相說道。
“他把愛潑斯坦描述成一個他幾乎不認識的人。”
“當真相大白，並非如此時，我解雇了他。”
據BBC了解，曼德爾森勳爵認為，他在審查過程中如實回答了有關與愛潑斯坦關係的問題。
這會是斯塔默政治生涯的終結嗎？
曼德爾森被任命為美國大使的審查流程是怎樣的？
彼得·曼德爾森是誰？
在就首相是否應該辭職發表講話後，基爾·斯塔默爵士表示，他理解工黨議員們對曼德爾森勳爵的“憤怒和沮喪”。
然而，他補充道：“我於2024年當選，肩負著讓國家變得更美好的使命……這正是我打算做的。”
工黨議員雷切爾·馬斯克爾在接受BBC約克電台采訪時表示，斯塔默爵士的處境“岌岌可危”，他“別無選擇”，隻能辭職。
與此同時，代表利物浦韋弗特裏選區的寶拉·巴克表示，首相“已經表明他的判斷力值得懷疑”。
“我認為他要重建公眾的信任和信心，以及我們黨內整體的信任和信心，還有很長的路要走，”她在BBC廣播四台的《今日》節目中說道。
彭德爾和克利瑟羅選區議員喬納森·欣德表示，首相任命曼德爾森勳爵為美國大使的決定是“政治和道德判斷上的災難性錯誤”。
他呼籲基爾·斯塔默爵士親自與工黨議員對話，承認這一錯誤。
斯塔默爵士
首相還麵臨著解雇其幕僚長摩根·麥克斯威尼的呼聲。麥克斯威尼與曼德爾森勳爵關係密切，並被廣泛認為曾遊說任命曼德爾森。
金斯頓赫爾東選區工黨議員卡爾·特納表示，首相在任命曼德爾森勳爵一事上得到了“糟糕的”建議。
路透社 曼德爾森勳爵 曼德爾森勳爵於去年9月被免去美國大使職務。
他告訴BBC，他並不希望更換首相，但呼籲基爾·斯塔默爵士“冷靜下來”，並要求麥克斯威尼下台。
唐寧街堅稱，首相對他的幕僚長充滿信心。
曼德爾森勳爵於去年9月被解職，此前曝光的新郵件顯示，在愛潑斯坦承認性犯罪後，他曾向愛潑斯坦發送支持信息。
近日，美國司法部公布的更多文件揭露了他們關係的程度。
這些郵件顯示，愛潑斯坦曾向曼德爾森勳爵及其伴侶支付了數千英鎊。
警方正在調查有關公職人員行為不當的指控。此前，文件中其他郵件顯示，曼德爾森勳爵在2009年金融危機期間擔任商務大臣時，曾將市場敏感信息轉發給愛潑斯坦。
曼德爾森勳爵尚未回應置評請求，但據BBC了解，他堅稱自己沒有從事任何犯罪活動，也並非出於經濟利益。
Starmer apologises to Epstein victims for believing Mandelson's 'lies'
Becky Morton Political reporter
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp37v4kyv3eo
Sir Keir Starmer says sorry to Epstein victims for appointing Mandelson
Sir Keir Starmer has apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein for believing Lord Mandelson's "lies" and appointing him as the UK's ambassador to the US.
The prime minister began a planned speech on funding to improve local communities by addressing the growing anger over how he had dealt with the issue.
While he acknowledged it had been publicly known for some time that Lord Mandelson knew Epstein, he said: "None of us knew the depths and the darkness of that relationship."
However, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the PM's position was "untenable", while the Liberal Democrats called for a confidence vote to see if Labour MPs supported him.
The prime minister is facing calls from some of his own MPs to stand down.
While the handful of backbenchers to do so publicly are frequent critics of the PM, many more have raised concerns privately.
Sir Keir's former political director Luke Sullivan said he thought the PM was "fighting for his premiership".
He told the BBC's Newscast: "I don't think you can understate how serious the situation and the peril is that the prime minister finds himself in."
Seeking to defuse the row in a speech earlier, Sir Keir said he regretted appointing Lord Mandelson and would not have done so if he had known what he knows now.
Directly addressing Epstein's victims, he said: "I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies and appointed him and sorry that even now you're forced to watch this story unfold in public once again."
Reacting to Sir Keir's apology, Epstein survivor Marina Lacerda said: "I have to commend him for going on national television and admitting he was wrong and apologising to us."
Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight, she said: "I think that's a huge step, right. You have also people here in America that have not even tried to apologise to us.
"So I have to commend him for that."
Sir Keir has promised to release files, which he says will prove Lord Mandelson lied about the extent of his friendship with Epstein when he was being vetted for the US ambassador role.
The government was forced into a climbdown by Labour backbenchers, after it had planned to withhold some sensitive material.
After a Commons vote, the government will pass documents which could damage national security or diplomatic relations to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), rather than withholding them.
The ISC says the government should decide which documents are made public - and which are not.
They say this will be done by the cabinet secretary, with an expectation the documents are laid before parliament "very shortly".
At the time Lord Mandelson was appointed as US ambassador in December 2024, it was public knowledge that he had maintained a friendship with Epstein after his conviction for soliciting sex from a minor.
In 2023, the Financial Times reported emails suggesting he stayed at Epstein's Manhattan mansion in 2009, while the financier was in jail.
The PM said Lord Mandelson was asked directly about the nature of his relationship with Epstein before he was appointed as ambassador, whether he had stayed at his home after his conviction and whether he had accepted gifts and hospitality from him.
"The information now available makes clear that the answers he gave were lies," he said.
"He portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew.
"And when that became clear and it was not true, I sacked him."
The BBC understands Lord Mandelson's view is that he answered questions about his relationship with Epstein in the vetting process accurately.
Challenged after his speech over whether he should stand down as PM, Sir Keir said he understood the "anger and frustration amongst Labour MPs" over Lord Mandelson.
However, he added: "I was elected on a mandate in 2024 to change the country for the better... that's what I intend to do."
Labour MP Rachael Maskell told BBC Radio York Sir Keir's position was "untenable" he had "no choice" but to step down.
Meanwhile, Paula Barker, who represents Liverpool Wavertree, said the PM "has shown that his judgement is questionable".
"I think he has a very long way to build trust and confidence with public and trust and confidence within our party as a whole," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Jonathan Hinder, the MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, said the PM's decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador was a "catastrophic error of political and moral judgement".
He called on Sir Keir to speak to Labour MPs in person and acknowledge this.
Sir Keir has also faced calls to sack his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who was close to Lord Mandelson and widely thought to have lobbied for his appointment.
Karl Turner, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, said the PM had been given "shoddy" advice over the appointment.
Lord Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador last September
He told the BBC he did not want a new prime minister but called on Sir Keir to "get a grip" and for McSweeney to go.
Downing Street has insisted the PM has full confidence in his chief of staff.
Lord Mandelson was sacked last September, following the emergence of new emails revealing supportive messages he sent to Epstein after he pleaded guilty to sex offences.
In recent days, more documents released by the US Department of Justice have laid bare the extent of their relationship.
They include emails suggesting Epstein made payments worth thousands of pounds to Lord Mandelson and his partner.
Police are investigating allegations of misconduct in public office, after other emails in the files suggested Lord Mandelson forwarded on market-sensitive information to Epstein when he was business secretary during the financial crisis in 2009.
Lord Mandelson has not responded to requests for comment, but the BBC understands his position is that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain.
