Ex-Labour peer faces questioning over alleged leaks to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary
Lord Mandelson was arrested on Monday afternoon on suspicion of misconduct in a public office.
It followed the launch of an investigation by the Met Police into the ex-Labour peer who was alleged to have passed on market-sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary.
Allegations over his ties with the convicted sex offender emerged following the publication of the latest batch of so-called Epstein files.
In a statement reported by Sky News, Ms Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law Sky and Amanda Roberts said they “commend” the British authorities for taking “meaningful action and treating the Epstein files with the “urgency they demand”.
Lord Mandelson, who was sacked as US ambassador in September 2025, was arrested after search warrants were carried out at two properties in Wiltshire and Camden, police said. He has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Sir Keir Starmer has faced growing scrutiny over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador including a backlash from his own back benches.
Speaking on Monday evening, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the arrest is a “defining moment” for the prime minister, and that he has shown “terrible judgement”.
Lord Mandelson’s staggering fall still has the power to shock
Timeline of Lord Mandelson’s controversial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein
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 minister has been accused of passing sensitive information onto paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary.
Here is what we know about the pair’s relationship.
Timeline of Lord Mandelson’s controversial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein
Mandelson’s appointment showed ‘lack of judgement’ from Starmer, Stride says
Sir Keir Starmer showed a “lack of judgement” in appointing Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, a senior Conservative has said.
Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said there is a “lot we need to know” about how the appointment was made during an interview on Sky News.
“I think it… speaks to a lack of judgement on the part of the prime minister,” he said.
“Part of the process now, of getting to the bottom of exactly what happened will also be: what happened around his appointment, what information was known at what time and by whom, and were the right decisions justifiable decisions taken in that context?
“So there’s a lot that we need to know about.”
Top of page: Peter Mandelson and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.