"The victims of Epstein have lived with trauma that most of us could barely comprehend, and they have to relive it again and again. They have seen accountability delayed and too often denied to them. I want to say this. I am sorry sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed, 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."
"The apology follows a stormy day in the Commons, where Labour MPs threatened to rebel over plans to publish documents regarding Mandelson's appointment following further revelations about his relationship with Epstein. The threat of defeat forced the government into another in a series of U-turns, as ministers agreed to allow a parliamentary committee to oversee the publication of the documents, rather than senior civil servants."
Keir Starmer apologised to victims of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse for believing Peter Mandelson's lies and for the public way the scandal unfolded. He did not apologise for appointing Mandelson despite knowing Mandelson had maintained a relationship with Epstein after Epstein was jailed for trafficking a child for sex. Labour MPs threatened to rebel over plans to publish documents about Mandelson's appointment, prompting ministers to allow a parliamentary committee, rather than senior civil servants, to oversee publication. The events weakened the prime minister's authority and increased calls to sack his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, or for Starmer to resign. Starmer reiterated his commitment to public probity and reform.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]