Ex-UK envoy Mandelson released on bail in Epstein-linked probe photo

Former UK ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his past relationship with convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein, police confirmed.

According to a statement from the Metropolitan Police, cited by the Guardian, the 72-year-old was detained on February 23 at his home in Camden, London, and taken for questioning following searches at addresses in Camden and Wiltshire. He was later released pending further investigation and was seen returning to his north London residence early Tuesday morning.

Investigators are examining allegations that Mandelson leaked Downing Street emails and market-sensitive government information to Epstein while serving as business secretary. Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing and maintains he committed no offence.

The inquiry follows the release of extensive Epstein-related files by the US Department of Justice, which reportedly included emails from 2009 suggesting Mandelson shared confidential policy assessments during the premiership of Gordon Brown. Messages also appeared to reference discussions on a bankers’ bonus tax and an impending eurozone bailout before its public announcement in 2010.

The arrest has intensified political pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who previously apologised to Epstein’s victims after acknowledging Mandelson had misrepresented the extent of his ties to Epstein before being appointed ambassador in 2024. The controversy triggered anger within the governing Labour Party, contributing to internal turmoil and the resignation of Starmer’s chief of staff.

Separately, the scandal widened after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor became the first modern royal taken into police custody over related allegations. The Thames Valley Police confirmed ongoing searches at properties connected to him in Windsor and on the Sandringham estate.

Parliamentary scrutiny has also increased. Downing Street has agreed to provide documents concerning Mandelson’s ambassadorial appointment to lawmakers, though correspondence between Starmer and Mandelson will remain withheld until the criminal investigation concludes. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are seeking the release of additional vetting records through a binding parliamentary motion.

Detectives have held preliminary discussions with prosecutors from the Crown Prosecution Service, though officials said no formal charging advice has yet been requested. Police have described the case as complex and likely to require extensive evidence-gathering.

A central figure in British politics for decades and a key architect of New Labour alongside Tony Blair, Mandelson has already resigned from the House of Lords and left the Labour Party amid the fallout. His consultancy, Global Counsel, entered administration after clients cut ties following renewed scrutiny of his Epstein links.

By Tamilla Hasanova