Ex-UK ambassador to US Lord Mandelson refuse to apologise to Epstein victims, say im no see girls for im friend properties

Lord Mandelson don tok say im bin no see girls for Jeffrey Epstein properties, and refuse to apologise to di late paedophile victims for maintaining im friendship wit di American becos e bin no dey "knowledgeable of wetin e (Epstein) dey do".

For im first interview since dem sack am as di UK ambassador to di US ova im links to Epstein, e tell di BBC say im bin tink dem bin "keep am separate" from di sexual side of di late financier life becos im be gay.

Dem fire am afta emails show say im send supportive messages to Epstein afta dem convict di American for soliciting prostitution from one minor.

Di former ambassador say di only pipo im bin see for Epstein properties na "middle-aged housekeepers".

E say e for don apologise if to say im dey "in any way complicit or culpable" but say no be so.

Labour Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, wey bin dey interviewed on di same programme, say Lord Mandelson bin shown "at best, deep naivety" for im remarks.

"E for don go a long way for di women wey bin dey subjected to di most appalling treatment at di hands of Jeffrey Epstein for Peter to apologise and take dat opportunity," she tok.

"Clearly, discussion go dey about due diligence bifor you appoint pesin to such role," she tok. She say "detailed information" about dia relationship bin no dey available wen dem give am di job.

About im continued relationship wit Epstein, she tok: "If pesin wey I associate wit bin dey for dat situation, I no go touch dem wit barge pole."

Downing Street say di emails show say di "depth and extent" of di relationship bin dey "materially different" to wetin dem bin know wen dem appoint am Lord Mandelson, particularly im "suggestion say Jeffrey Epstein first conviction dey wrong and gatz dey challenged na new information".

"In light of dat, and mindful of di victims of Epstein crimes, dem withdraw am as ambassador wit immediate effect."

Lord Mandelson wey be architect of New Labour don dey in and out of British politics for forty years.

E bin hold some ministerial roles from di election of Tony Blair – and gatz resign from post two times - until Labour lose power for 2010.

Epstein, wey be well-connected financier, die for New York prison cell for 2019 as e dey await trial on sex trafficking charges. E bin previously dey convicted for 2008 of soliciting prostitution from one minor, and dem register am as sex offender sake of dis.

Asked on BBC One Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg weda e go like apologise to Epstein victims becos e continue di friendship afta dat first conviction, e say:

"I wan apologise to dose women for system wey refuse to hear dia voices and no give dem di protection wey dem dey entitled to expect.

"Dat system give am protection and not dem.

"If I bin know, if I bin dey in any way complicit or culpable, of course I for apologise for am. But I no dey guilty, I bin no dey knowledgeable of wetin e dey do."

E continue: "I regret and go regret to my dying day di fact say powerless women, women wey dem deny a voice, wey dem no give di protection wey dem dey entitled to expect."

Dem also ask Lord Mandelson for di interview about im views on US President Donald Trump ongoing comments about im kontri needing to "own" Greenland.

E say e admire Trump "directness" for im political dealings, and say e no believe say di US go "land on Greenland and take am by force".

Lord Mandelson add: "E no go do dat. I no now, but I dey offer my best judgement as pesin wey don observe am for fairly close quarters. E no be fool."

E say di president bin get close circle of advisers around am "wey dey remind am say if e intervene, take Greenland, e go dey completely counterproductive - and go spell real danger for America national interest".

Asked about im long friendship wit Epstein ova di decades, Lord Mandelson say e believe say dem "keep am separate" from Epstein sex life becos of im own sexuality.

"Possibly some pipo go tink becos I be gay man... I no sabi wetin dey go on. I no really accept dat.

"I tink di issue be say becos I be gay man for im circle dem keep me separate from wetin e dey do for di sexual side of im life."

E refer to one occasion wey e bin spend one or two nights on Epstein infamous private island, as well as visits to Epstein New York and New Mexico properties.

"Di only pipo wey bin dey dia na di housekeepers, any young women or girls, or pipo wey im dey prey on or engage wit in dat sort of ghastly predatory way wey we subsequently find out say im bin dey do, bin no dey dia."

"Epstein bin no dey dia," e tok about im visits to di island.

Di govment bin sack Lord Mandelson as dia ambassador to di US afta emails show say im bin dey in contact wit Epstein afta im first conviction, as e dey offer am support.

Number 10 sources say at di time e bin dey "economical wit di truth" bifor dem appoint am and dem bin no dey aware of di "depth" of dia relationship.

On Sunday, Lord Mandelson say di govment "bin know evritin" wen dem give am di job, "but not di emails becos dem come as surprise to me".

E say e understand why dem sack am.

"Di prime minister find imsef for middle of wetin fit don appear to am to be some kain thermonuclear explosion – I don dey dia, I know wetin dey go on.

"I wish I get di opportunity to remind am of di circumstances of my relationship, my friendship wit Jeffrey Epstein and how I come to write di emails in di first place.

"I no do am, so I understand why e take di decision wey e take, but one tin I dey veri clear about be say I no go seek to reopen or relitigate dis issue. I dey move on."