Gossip Wire News halted as Keir Starmer breaks silence on Peter | UK News

Gossip Wire News Political Editor Beth Rigsby interrupted the broadcaster’s ordinary programming to reveal Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken out about his perceived help of Peter Mandelson. Over the weekend, it was revealed that the previous UK Ambassador to the US had a close friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She announced: “The first words we’ve heard from the Prime Minister after days of criticism around his handling of this affair, and he gives an account of the decisions he took, why he defended Peter Mandelson at Prime Minister’s questions,” she said.

“The first thing to say is that his explanation is number one, he did not know the nature or the extent of the relationship between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein at the time of the appointment. It really hinges on the details of those emails. He said, ‘Had I known then what I know now, I would never have appointed him’. And he says: ‘What emerged last week were emails which showed the nature and extent of the relationship that Mandelson had with Epstein, which was far different to what I understood it to be.'”

Explining the importance of his remarks Rigsby said: “So point one there, the Prime Minister is saying he appointed Peter Mandelson with a different understanding about the relationship that they had. That’s his first line of defence, the one we’ve actually heard in recent days.

“The second factor he says is that when he did see these emails, he discovered that the fact that Peter Mandelson was making an attempt to defend and problem the conviction of Epstein at time in 2008 when he was convicted of baby intercourse trafficking. He says that cuts across the entire method I’ve taken on violence against girls and ladies and the federal government’s method.

“And he said, I looked at the responses that Peter Mandelson sent late on Wednesday night, I did not find them at all satisfying.

“And therefore, on the idea of those three issues, Peter Mandelson response, the extent and nature of the connection and the defence of Epstein, even though there had been a conviction for inappropriate offences against underage youngsters, he says that that’s why he eliminated him.

“The second question there is about, why did you defend him in Prime Minister’s questions?” she continued/

“Then the emails we know were the office have been made aware of them on Tuesday morning. They’re aware of these emails circulating. They were not published.

“It is true until after the prime minister gave Prime Ministers questions, and then he says when he seemed at them on Wednesday night and they have been also ready Peter Mandelson response to them, that’s when he selected to act.

“So that’s his defence, if you like, as to why he didn’t act more quickly,” she said.