Lord Mandelson was arrested on Monday after police received a “baseless suggestion” that he was planning to flee the country, his lawyers have said. The former US ambassador was taken from his home in Camden and questioned for several hours at Wandsworth police station on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
His law firm, Mishcon de Reya, said police had previously agreed to interview him voluntarily next month but instead arrested him following what they described as an unfounded claim that he intended to move abroad permanently. “There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in any such suggestion,” the firm said in a statement.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Lord Mandelson, 72, had been released on bail pending further investigation. According to reports, he was forced to surrender his passport and cannot leave the country without permission. A source told the Telegraph that the arrest was made after “new information came to light.”
The investigation stems from emails released in the Epstein files, which suggest that while serving as Gordon Brown’s business secretary, Lord Mandelson leaked sensitive government documents to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The emails reportedly include discussions of policy measures, a bankers’ bonus tax, and a euro bailout package.
Lord Mandelson’s lawyers emphasised his willingness to cooperate fully with the police to clear his name. They have requested evidence from the Metropolitan Police to justify the arrest. The force declined to comment further, stating that additional information could prejudice the investigation.
The Commons Business and Trade Committee has announced it will begin gathering information ahead of a potential inquiry into the trade envoy system, but a final decision will be delayed until after any case against Lord Mandelson concludes. The first release of related files is expected in early March.
