Britain’s former ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, has been arrested by London police on suspicion of misconduct in public office after newly disclosed communications revealed the extent of his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Officers from London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest of a 72-year-old man as part of an investigation into a former government minister. “Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the force said in a statement.
Mandelson, once one of the most powerful figures in the Labour Party and a close ally of former prime minister Gordon Brown, had served as British ambassador to the US before being dismissed from the post in September, when questions intensified over his relationship with Epstein.
EMAILS SPARK CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
The arrest follows the release of emails by the US Department of Justice in late January that suggested Mandelson and Epstein had a closer relationship than previously known. The correspondence indicated that Mandelson had shared information with Epstein while serving as a minister in Brown’s government.
Earlier this month, police launched a criminal investigation after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government passed on communications between Mandelson and Epstein to the authorities.
Mandelson, 72, resigned from Starmer’s Labour Party and stepped down from his seat in the House of Lords this month. He has previously said he “very deeply” regretted his past association with Epstein but has not responded publicly to the latest developments.
ROYAL FIGURE ALSO ARRESTED
The case has widened political shockwaves in Britain. Last week, King Charles’s younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he sent confidential government documents to Epstein. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to the disgraced financier.
The Metropolitan Police investigation is ongoing, and further action will depend on the outcome of inquiries into the communications and alleged conduct.
With inputs from Reuters
