Peter Mandelson, the former Labour minister and ambassador to the United States, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The 72-year-old was taken from his north London home by plainclothes officers on Monday afternoon and questioned at a police station before being released on bail early Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Police said the arrest follows allegations that Mandelson leaked Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as business secretary. Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing. A police spokesperson confirmed that search warrants were executed at two addresses in Wiltshire and Camden.
The arrest comes weeks after the release of files related to Epstein prompted an investigation. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart described it as a complex case requiring significant further evidence-gathering. The Met has held informal discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service's special crime division, which also handles the case against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the first royal to be taken into police custody in modern times.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced criticism for appointing Mandelson as US ambassador in December 2024, having apologised to Epstein's victims and acknowledged that Mandelson lied about the extent of their relationship. Downing Street has agreed to release documents related to the vetting process to the intelligence and security committee, though exchanges between Starmer and Mandelson on the Epstein connection will be withheld pending the police investigation.
Mandelson was seen returning home in a taxi at around 2am on Tuesday. Thames Valley Police continue to search properties linked to Mountbatten-Windsor, including Royal Lodge and his Norfolk home, as part of a separate investigation into sharing confidential information with Epstein.
