Peter Mandelson has been released from his bail conditions after police decided he was not a flight risk, though he remains under investigation. The former cabinet minister was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office, linked to allegations he leaked Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Metropolitan Police dropped the conditions applied after his arrest, including the return of his passport. A spokesperson for Mandelson's law firm, Mishcon de Reya, confirmed the removal of bail conditions, stating their client did not pose a flight risk and would continue to cooperate with the investigation.
Mandelson was arrested at his London home in late February following a tipoff from Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, who reported that Mandelson planned to flee to the British Virgin Islands. The Met has apologised to Hoyle for accidentally revealing his identity but believes the arrest was justified.
The investigation stems from documents released by the US Department of Justice showing Mandelson's regular contact with Epstein, including emails from 2009 when Mandelson was business secretary. The emails appeared to show him passing confidential information, such as a memo advising then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the sale of government-held assets.
Following the document release, Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords and quit the Labour Party. The case also led to the resignation of the prime minister's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who had lobbied for Mandelson's appointment as Washington ambassador. Ministers expect further documents related to that appointment to be released next week.
