Former British ambassador to the US with Epstein ties arrested
Kyiv • UNN
Former British ambassador Peter Mandelson has been arrested by detectives investigating allegations of misconduct in public office. This follows his friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Former British ambassador Peter Mandelson has been arrested by detectives investigating allegations of misconduct in public office during his friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, UNN reports with reference to The Guardian.
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Footage shows the former UK ambassador to the US being driven away from his home in an unmarked police car for questioning shortly after being led out of his home by plainclothes police officers.
London police are investigating allegations that he passed Downing Street emails and sensitive market information to the disgraced American financier during his time as business secretary. Mandelson denies any wrongdoing.
His arrest, which comes days before a crucial by-election in Gorton and Denton, will be an unwelcome reminder of what critics call one of Keir Starmer's worst mistakes in office: his decision to appoint him to Washington.
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The British Prime Minister apologized to the victims of the Epstein case for choosing Mandelson, saying that the former Labour libertarian had lied about the extent of his relationship with the late sex offender and was dismissed when this became known.
But Starmer faced deep anger from his own MPs over the decision, which again undermined his authority over the party and led to the resignation of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.
Mandelson's arrest also came days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor became the first member of the royal family to be taken into custody in the modern era. Emails appear to show that the former prince shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as a British trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police, who are investigating the Mountbatten-Windsor case, said searches at Royal Lodge in Windsor, where the King's brother previously lived, have been ongoing for a fifth day. The search of his current home at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk concluded on Thursday.
Downing Street was forced to release documents related to Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador in December 2024 to the parliamentary intelligence and security committee to ensure maximum transparency of the vetting process and what the government knew about his friendship with Epstein.
MPs were told on Monday that the first tranche of tens of thousands of documents would be released in early March, but would not include communications between Starmer and Mandelson regarding his ties to Epstein until the police investigation was completed.
Detectives escorted Mandelson to a waiting car without handcuffing him.
Metropolitan Police officers investigating his case held discussions with lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service's special crime division, which authorizes criminal prosecutions in England and Wales.
The discussions are currently described as informal, and no formal advice on the early investigation has been sought or offered.
The publication notes that after Mandelson was photographed leaving his north London home on Monday, a police spokesman said: "Officers arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, February 23, and taken to a London police station for questioning. This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas."
The police investigation was launched earlier this month after files related to the late disgraced financier were released. Mandelson is known to believe he has committed no wrongdoing.
At the time, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart said: "This will be a complex investigation that will require a significant amount of further evidence gathering and analysis. It will take some time to complete this work comprehensively."