Ex-British minister Mandelson arrested in Epstein leaks probe

2026-02-23 - 22:32

Peter Mandelson, a former British business secretary and ambassador to the United States, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in connection with the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files, London's Metropolitan Police announced Monday. The 72-year-old veteran Labour politician was detained at a Camden address and taken to a London police station for interview. Investigation Details "Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office," the Met Police said in a statement. The arrest follows the execution of search warrants at two addresses in Wiltshire, southwest England, as well as in Camden. The investigation centers on allegations that Mandelson leaked government emails to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Political Fallout The revelations, which emerged from the massive document release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, have already contributed to the resignations of senior aides to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Mandelson's reported ties to Epstein have reignited scrutiny of his past associations and drawn comparisons to some of Britain's most damaging political scandals. Commentators have described the unfolding crisis as the most serious since the Profumo affair of the early 1960s, which ended the career of Secretary of State for War John Profumo. End of an Era Mandelson, long dubbed a political "spin doctor" and the "Prince of Darkness" for his strategic prowess and backroom influence, saw his decades-long career effectively conclude with his recent resignations from both the Labour Party and the House of Lords. The arrest marks a dramatic fall for one of British politics's most influential and controversial figures, whose career spanned multiple Cabinet positions and culminated in his role as ambassador to Washington. The investigation continues as authorities examine the extent of his alleged communications with Epstein and the potential compromise of government information.