Gordon Brown is reportedly set to be interviewed by the Metropolitan Police as part of an investigation into Peter Mandelson, who was arrested in February over allegations of misconduct in public office. The former Prime Minister is expected to discuss his former business secretary's work, according to reports.
Background of the Investigation
The probe focuses on whether Mandelson passed confidential information to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson served in Mr Brown's cabinet during the time he is alleged to have shared sensitive details with Epstein, who was convicted of sex offences. The allegations include that Mandelson informed Epstein about a European Union bailout following the 2008 financial crash and shared confidential information about the state of the UK economy. Mandelson denies any wrongdoing.
Epstein Files and Stalled Efforts
Emails between Mandelson and Epstein came to light when thousands of redacted documents were made public earlier this year in the Epstein Files. According to The Telegraph, the Met Police are keen to speak to Mr Brown as efforts to obtain the full files from the FBI have stalled, despite informal agreements between the two countries.
The former Prime Minister is understood to be willing to cooperate with the investigation. However, The Mirror understands that there has not yet been any contact between the Met and Mr Brown regarding an interview.
Mandelson's Dismissal and Further Revelations
Mandelson was sacked as the UK's ambassador to Washington in September last year after new revelations about his relationship with Epstein. Messages released by US authorities showed that Mandelson corresponded with Epstein through what he described as "years of torture" over underage sex charges. In 2008, Mandelson emailed Epstein: "Your friends stay with you and love you," and urged the banker to "fight for early release."
Further documents released earlier this year appeared to show that Mandelson had sent Epstein briefings about government actions during the financial crisis. In 2009, he seemed to have given his friend advance notice about a 500 billion euro bailout by the EU, as well as sharing confidential information about banking policy. The files also appear to show that he sent details of a planned tax on bankers' bonuses.
Political and Legal Implications
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has claimed that Mandelson lied before his appointment as ambassador, and it later emerged that he had not been given clearance by UK Security Vetting. However, this was overruled by officials in the Foreign Office without No10's knowledge. Any decision on whether to charge Mandelson would lie with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The Met Police declined to comment on the investigation.
Thousands of pages of documents have been released in relation to Mandelson's appointment as US Ambassador, including WhatsApp messages with ministers that were critical of the government.
