Lord Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office

• Peter Mandelson has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office – read the police statement in full
• A short while ago Mandelson was seen leaving his London home with police officers
• The ex-US ambassador had been under investigation over allegations he shared market-sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein while a minister
• Lord Mandelson has not publicly commented in recent weeks on the Epstein files, but the BBC understands his position has consistently been that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain

Mandelson arrest comes after homes were searchedpublished at 17:4617:46

The news of Peter Mandelson’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office comes after the Met Police carried out searches at properties in Wiltshire and north London earlier this month.

Mandelson was believed to be at home in London when police carried out that search earlier this month.

The force launched an investigation into the ex-Labour minister on 3 February over allegations he passed market-sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Met has not confirmed the specifics of the alleged offence Mandelson has been arrested over.

Mandelson seen being led away from Camden homepublished at 17:2717:27Breaking

Peter Mandelson was seen being led away from his home in Camden, north London this afternoon.

The 72-year-old was seen being escorted from the house by plain clothes police officers and put in the back of an unmarked car.

Peter Mandelson started working for Labour in the 1980s and had been a major figure in the party for decades.

He played a key role in the New Labour movement and Sir Tony Blair’s landslide election victory in 1997.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed him as the UK’s ambassador to Washington in December 2024.

It had been known prior to that appointment that he had a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The peer was sacked from the role last September after Downing Street said new information about the depth of this relationship had emerged.

He stepped down from the House of Lords after the release of Epstein-related documents in the US raised new questions about his dealing with Epstein. However due to parliamentary procedure he retains his title.

Mandelson led away from London home by police officerspublished at 17:1817:18Breaking

A short while ago Peter Mandelson was seen being led away from his London home by police officers.

The Met then confirmed a 72-year-old man had been detained at an address in Camden, north London.

It comes after the Metropolitan Police confirmed earlier this month it had launched a criminal investigation over allegations of misconduct in public office.

That followed the release of emails by the US Department of Justice (DoJ), which led to allegations that Lord Mandelson had forwarded information to Epstein when he was business secretary under former prime minister Gordon Brown.