LONDON — Keir Starmer apologized Thursday to the victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for choosing Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.

The prime minister has faced heavy criticism after documents in the most recently released Epstein files appear to show the late financier was leaked sensitive government policy discussions by Mandelson, who was the U.K. business secretary and a senior member of the government at the time.

The British prime minister, who sacked Mandelson as ambassador last September over the extent of his friendship with the late sex offender, directly addressed Epstein’s victims during a visit to the seaside town of Hastings on the south coast of England.

“I am sorry,” Starmer said. “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.” 

The PM said his government will “not allow the powerful to treat justice as optional,” and will do everything in its power to “ensure accountability is delivered.” 

He spoke against a backdrop of anger from some Labour MPs who are infuriated the PM appointed Mandelson and want Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who they see as having been instrumental to that decision, to leave No 10.

Veteran Labour MP Karl Turner told Times Radio that Starmer should “get rid of those advisers who frankly have given terrible advice.” Keeping Morgan in post puts Starmer “up against it in a way that he doesn’t need to be,” Turner said.

But government ministers insist McSweeney’s position is safe. “The person at fault here is not the prime minister or his team,” Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of the No. 10 chief of staff, told Sky News. “It is Peter Mandelson who lied, manipulated and deceived everybody.”