UK PM Starmer’s aide Peter Mandelson arrested amid mounting Epstein scrutiny
Former UK ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office as part of an investigation linked to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson was seen being escorted from his home and driven away in an unmarked vehicle, reported The Guardian. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest without naming him.A police spokesperson said: “Officers have 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 has been taken to a London police station for interview. This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”The Met investigation reportedly relates to alleged leaking of Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to Epstein. A probe was opened after the release of files connected to the late financier.In February, officers searched two properties linked to the 72-year-old in London and Wiltshire. Then Met deputy assistant commissioner Hayley Sewart had said, “The searches are related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences, involving a 72-year-old man.” In an earlier statement, she added, “This will be a complex investigation requiring a significant amount of further evidence-gathering and analysis. It will take some time to do this work comprehensively.”Mandelson is understood to believe he has not committed any offence.The development has intensified political scrutiny over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador in December 2024. Starmer had acknowledged he was aware that Mandelson and Epstein were in contact after Epstein was jailed in 2008 for child sex offences, according to the British Daily. .A senior figure in the Labour Party for decades, Mandelson was first elected as MP for Hartlepool in 1992 and was a key architect of the New Labour project under Tony Blair. He later held multiple cabinet roles and played a central role in Labour’s 1997 general election campaign.Following the latest revelations and political fallout, Mandelson quit the Labour Party and resigned from the House of Lords. The police investigation remains ongoing.
