The Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into Lord Peter Mandelson over allegations of misconduct in public office linked to his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
The former Labour minister and ex-UK ambassador to the United States is accused of passing market-sensitive government information to the US financier and convicted sex offender while serving as business secretary under former prime minister Gordon Brown in 2009.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice appear to show Lord Mandelson forwarding sensitive information to Epstein during the global financial crisis. Lord Mandelson has not responded publicly to requests for comment, but his position was understood that he did not act criminally and was not motivated by financial gain.
A government spokesperson said ministers were prepared to assist the investigation, adding: “The government stands ready to provide whatever support and assistance the police need.”
Lord Mandelson, who was dismissed as UK ambassador to the US last year, has informed parliamentary authorities that he intends to resign from the House of Lords on Wednesday. Although he will step down as a sitting peer, he will retain his life peerage unless it is removed through legislation.
On Monday, the Scottish National Party and Reform UK confirmed they had referred Lord Mandelson to Scotland Yard. On Tuesday, the UK government said it had also formally referred material to the police after reviewing emails allegedly sent by Lord Mandelson to Epstein.
A No 10 spokesperson said an initial assessment found the documents appeared to contain “likely market-sensitive information surrounding the 2008 financial crash.”
Gordon Brown, who served as prime minister between 2007 and 2010, said he had written to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley with “relevant” information. He said he had previously asked the cabinet secretary to investigate the authenticity of claims in the Epstein papers relating to asset sales following the banking collapse.
Brown described the alleged correspondence as “an inexcusable and unpatriotic act at a time when the whole government and country were attempting to address the global financial crisis.”
In a statement, Met Police Commander Ella Marriott confirmed that officers had launched an investigation into a 72-year-old former government minister for misconduct in public office offences.
“Following the further release of millions of court documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein, the Met received a number of reports, including a referral from the UK government,” she said. “We will continue to assess all relevant information and will not comment further at this time.”
Over the weekend, Lord Mandelson reiterated his regret over maintaining a relationship with Epstein and apologised “unequivocally to the women and the girls who suffered”.
Downing Street said legislation was being drafted to allow Lord Mandelson’s peerage to be removed “as quickly as possible.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told Cabinet colleagues that Lord Mandelson had “let his country down,”describing the alleged conduct as “disgraceful”, according to No 10.
Sir Keir also said he was “not reassured that the totality of the information had yet emerged”.
The emails form part of a large tranche of documents released by the US Department of Justice on Friday. Messages from 2008 appear to show Lord Mandelson discussing plans for a one-off tax on bankers’ bonuses with Epstein.
Other documents appear to suggest that Lord Mandelson gave Epstein advance notice of a €500bn EU bailout to stabilise the eurozone. The files also allege Epstein made three payments of $25,000 to Lord Mandelson in 2003 and 2004, which Lord Mandelson has said he does not recall and has no record of receiving. Epstein is also alleged to have sent £10,000 to Lord Mandelson’s partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, in 2009.
Lord Mandelson said on Sunday that he was resigning his Labour Party membership and that claims Epstein made payments to him two decades ago were false.
His friendship with Epstein was known at the time of his appointment as US ambassador in 2024, but he was removed from the role last year after further details of their association emerged. The government is now facing questions over its vetting process.
Ministers are expected to confirm on Wednesday that they are willing to publish information relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment. The Conservatives plan to use a parliamentary mechanism known as a humble address to compel disclosure, although the government has proposed an amendment allowing exemptions for national security and international relations.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the prime minister had “a lot of questions to answer,”while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for a public inquiry into how Epstein was able to access senior figures within the British political establishment.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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