Peter Mandelson, former UK ambassador to the United States, was arrested Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, stemming from an investigation into his ties with the late Jeffrey Epstein, London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed. The arrest occurred at an address in north London, and the 72-year-old was taken to a police station for questioning, according to a statement released by the force.
The arrest followed the release of documents suggesting Mandelson passed sensitive government information to Epstein in 2009, while serving as a government minister. Police did not name the individual arrested, but he has been widely identified as Mandelson by multiple news outlets.
In a statement released Tuesday through his legal representation, Mishcon de Reya, Mandelson asserted that he had previously agreed to a voluntary interview with police next month and that the arrest was prompted by a “baseless suggestion” he was planning to leave the country. The statement explicitly denied any intention to take up permanent residence abroad. “We have asked the MPS for the evidence relied upon to justify the arrest,” the statement read, demanding transparency from the Metropolitan Police Service.
The firm’s involvement is notable; Mishcon de Reya is a London-based firm specializing in reputation protection and crisis management, having advised numerous high-profile political figures. The statement further emphasized Mandelson’s intention to “cooperate with the police investigation…and to clear his name.”
Mandelson’s arrest comes four days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince, was as well arrested in a separate case related to Epstein, according to reports. Mandelson had resigned from the Labour Party earlier this month following the latest release of documents related to Epstein, stating he did not wish to cause further embarrassment.
Prior to his arrest, Mandelson was dismissed as the UK’s ambassador to the US last September as the extent of his association with Epstein became apparent. Emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January revealed a closer relationship between Mandelson and Epstein than previously known, including the sharing of information while Mandelson was a minister in Gordon Brown’s government.
The Metropolitan Police stated that the 72-year-old man arrested has been released on bail pending further investigation. No charges have been filed. The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not indicated when further developments might be expected.
