UK Police Launch Criminal Investigation into Peter Mandelson Over Alleged Epstein Leaks

AFP

Peter Mandelson, Britain's former ambassador to the U.S.

British police have launched a criminal investigation into former government minister Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office linked to leaks of sensitive information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

London’s Metropolitan Police said detectives are investigating the 72-year-old former Labour politician, who served as a senior minister and later as the UK’s ambassador to the United States, over claims he shared confidential government material with Epstein. The probe follows the release of millions of pages of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice relating to Epstein’s activities.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement that it had received reports, including a referral from the British government, alleging that Mandelson may have disclosed official information in breach of his duties. The force will continue to assess all relevant material but declined to comment further at this stage.

In response to the growing scandal, Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords, ending his lifelong parliamentary role, though he still retains the title of lord. The UK government is considering legislation to formally strip him of his peerage amid widespread political criticism.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the alleged actions, describing the reported passing of sensitive data to Epstein as “disgraceful” and saying safeguards appear to have been compromised. The Cabinet Office referred material from the Epstein files to the police for further examination.

The released documents reportedly include emails and communications from Mandelson’s time as business secretary in the late 2000s, which critics say may have contained market-sensitive details about economic policy.

The investigation marks a major development in the fallout from the Epstein files and has triggered strong reactions across the UK political spectrum, with calls for transparency and accountability as authorities probe the full extent of the alleged misconduct.

Sources: The Guardian and Reuters


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