Peter Mandelson is facing a possible police investigation into allegations that he leaked confidential government information to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during the financial crisis. New disclosures from the Epstein files appear to show that Mandelson, then business secretary under Gordon Brown, sent emails containing market-sensitive data to Epstein.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it had received multiple reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office and was assessing whether to open a criminal inquiry. Commander Ella Marriott stated that the reports would be reviewed to determine if they met the criminal threshold for investigation.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has ordered an investigation by the cabinet secretary and called for Mandelson to resign from the House of Lords. Former Labour leader Harriet Harman urged that Mandelson be removed from the Privy Council and the House of Lords, describing his actions as having cast a stain over politics.
The emails, part of a cache released by the US Department of Justice, include a confidential government document outlining £20bn in asset sales, details of an imminent eurozone bailout, and communications about bankers’ bonuses. One email forwarded to Epstein contained a note from Brown’s adviser Nick Butler, who said he was considering reporting the matter to the police.
Additionally, documents suggest Epstein paid $75,000 into accounts of which Mandelson was believed to be a beneficiary, and £10,000 to Mandelson’s partner. The SNP and Reform UK have reported Mandelson to the police for misconduct in a public office.
