Peter Mandelson, the former Labour minister and ex-ambassador to the United States, has been released on bail following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The arrest, conducted by plainclothes officers at his north London home on Monday, relates to allegations that he leaked sensitive information to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson was driven away in an unmarked police car for questioning and returned home around 2am on Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest of a 72-year-old man, stating that search warrants had been executed at addresses in Wiltshire and Camden. The investigation centres on claims that Mandelson passed Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as business secretary. Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing.
The case has put Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer under renewed pressure, following his decision to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador in December 2024. Starmer has since apologised to Epstein's victims, stating Mandelson misled him about the extent of their relationship. The controversy also contributed to the departure of Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.
Mandelson's arrest comes days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke of York, became the first modern royal to be taken into police custody, amid allegations of sharing confidential information with Epstein. Thames Valley Police continue searches at Royal Lodge and the Sandringham estate.
Downing Street has agreed to release documents related to Mandelson's vetting to the Intelligence and Security Committee, with the first tranche expected in early March. However, exchanges between Starmer and Mandelson about Epstein will remain undisclosed until the police investigation concludes. The Crown Prosecution Service's special crime division is in informal discussions with investigators.
