𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Lord Peter Mandelson has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The Metropolitan Police said the 72-year-old was taken to a London police station for interview on Monday.

The former Labour grandee has been accused of passing sensitive information onto billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

“He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, February 23 and has been taken to a London police station for interview.

“This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”

The latest tranche of documents in the Epstein files appear to show him passing potentially market-sensitive information to the financier in 2009, while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government.

Two of his properties were previously searched by police in connection with the allegations.

It comes after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office after being accused of sharing sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.

The former Duke of York spent 11 hours in custody on his 66th birthday while officers searched his home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk before he was released under investigation.

It comes as the first tranche of documents related to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador is expected to be released “very shortly in early March”.

However, the publication of some correspondence between Downing Street and the peer will be delayed “because of the Metropolitan Police interest”, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said.

Mr Jones’ statement to the Commons came minutes before the Metropolitan Police announced that Lord Mandelson had been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Sir Keir Starmer has faced considerable criticism over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson to the position despite his links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.