Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre's family rage at Keir Starmer over Mandelson scandal

Lord Peter Mandelson should never have become the UK ambassador to the United States, the family of Jeffrey Epstein's victim Virginia Giuffre has said.

Sky Roberts, Virginia's brother, said: "Absolutely not, he should never have been given the position in the first place. It speaks to how deep the corruption goes in our systems. Whether that's linked to the UK, US or abroad."

There is no suggestion that Lord Mandelson ever met Giuffre. He said last week, that "perhaps as a gay man", he never sought or was offered introductions to women from Epstein.

In an interview with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Giuffre's sister-in-law Amanda Roberts, said: "Why does it take us to have to pull out the skeletons for people to be held accountable? Our governments have allowed these people to hold their status and their title without shame.

"He should never have been given that title. We have to put the spotlight on them. It's unfair we continuously pull these skeletons out, that survivors have to continuously point the finger for us to do the right thing".

Giuffre alleged that she was abused by Epstein after she met British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000 while working as a locker room attendant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.

In 2001, at the age of 17, she said Epstein brought her to London and introduced her to Prince Andrew, who she claimed sexually abused her three times. The prince, who has denied all claims against him, reached an out-of-court settlement with her in 2022 which contained no admission of liability or apology.

After many years of campaigning, she had become the most prominent victim of Jeffrey Epstein. Giuffre died by suicide in April.

Neither Downing Street nor Lord Mandelson wished to comment on the BBC's interview with Giuffre's family.

Lord Mandelson was sacked by the Prime Minister this week, after a cache of emails between Mandelson and Epstein was published in which the peer urged Epstein to fight for early release, and revealed the extent of their contacts and relationship.

Mr Roberts, Virginia's younger brother, said that the firing of Mandelson was a "step in the right direction" but "the reality is that's not nearly enough".