Calls For Criminal Probe Into Lord Mandelson Grow After 'Shocking' Leaks To Epstein

Calls for a police probe into Peter Mandelson have grown amid suggestions the peer leaked sensitive government information to dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) released a vast trove of documents related to Epstein’s network over the weekend, including his email exchanges with Mandelson.

Their conversations suggested that Mandelson passed Epstein at least one confidential memo when he was the business secretary back in 2009, following the financial crash.

He appeared to forward an economic briefing for then-prime minister Gordon Brown to Epstein, who pleaded guilt to procuring an underage child for prostitution the previous year.

Mandelson added the caption: “Interesting note that’s gone to the PM.”

Their conversations suggest Mandelson gave Epstein advance notice of a €500bn bailout from the EU to save the Euro, too.

These emails have sparked fears about whether Mandelson therefore committed misconduct in a public office, which can lead to a maximum sentence of life behind bars.

Both Reform and the SNP have sent separate referrals to the Metropolitan Police to investigate Mandelson.

A Reform UK spokesperson said: “We have today reported Peter Mandelson to the police for misconduct in public office.

“It’s abundantly clear that Peter Mandelson has abused his position in office. It’s now time the police do their job and properly investigate these shocking new revelations.”

SNP Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, said “the disgraceful revelations” about Mandelson’s messages to Epstein “are shocking and must be fully investigated by the UK government and all appropriate authorities.”

“There is no question that Lord Mandelson’s actions were shameful and unethical – the only question is the extent to which his actions breached the ministerial code and the law,” he said. “I have, therefore, reported Peter Mandelson to the Metropolitan Police.”

Flynn said: “It is essential these matters are fully investigated to ensure maximum transparency and justice.”

Similarly, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called for a criminal probe.

He said: “The Epstein files suggest Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to a convicted sex offender while serving as a minister, and even suggested a US bank should threaten the government to lower its tax bill.

“These allegations are incredibly serious, it is now only right that the police investigate Peter Mandelson for potential misconduct in public office.”

Gordon Brown, who was prime minister between 2007 and 2010, also called for a probe after the “shocking” revelation on Monday.

“I have today asked the cabinet secretary to investigate the disclosure of confidential and market sensitive information from the then business department during the global financial crisis,” he said.

He revealed that he asked the cabinet secretary Chris Wormald to investigate “the veracity of information contained in the Epstein papers about the sale of assets arising from the banking collapse and communications about them between Lord Mandelson and Mr Epstein” back in September.

While that enquiry concluded that there was “no departmental record” of these conversations, Brown said these new documents suggested it was time for a “wider and more intensive inquiry”.

He said the probe should look at the “wholly unacceptable disclosure of government papers and information during the period when the country was battling the global financial crisis.”

Brown’s former government adviser Nick Butler also told Times Radio that Mandelson “should be ashamed of the breach of trust and the betrayal of trust that he’s been involved in”.

“I agree with Gordon Brown that there should be a full inquiry now into all the messages from the government at that time to Epstein,” he added.

“How many more messages on really important issues, important issues on which Epstein could have made a lot of money? How many messages were sent in that period? I think Peter should now resign from the Lords. I think that would be the honourable thing to do.” 

Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones told MPs that the prime minister has orded the cabinet secretary to investigate Mandelson’s contact with Epstein.

He added: “Whilst Peter Mandelson must account for his actions and conduct, it is an understatement to say that his decision to continue a close relationship with a convicted paedophile, including discussing private government business, falls far below the standards expected of any minister. His behaviour was unequivocally wrong and an insult to the women and girls who suffered.”

Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador in September when it emerged he had remained friendly with Epstein after his 2008 conviction.

He then quit Labour on Sunday night after the documents appeared to show him receiving $75,000 from the late financier, claiming he did not want to cause “further embarrassment”.

Mandelson remains a peer, but prime minister Keir Starmer suggested he should be kicked out of the House of Lords on Monday.

His spokesperson said the government wants to work with the Lords to “strengthen the circumstances in which disgraced members can be removed” from parliament.

He said Starmer “believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title”.

At the moment, it requires an act of parliament is required to removed an individual from the Lords.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “It is right that Peter Mandelson is no longer a member of the Labour Party. Disciplinary action was underway prior to his resignation.

“Jeffrey Epstein’s heinous crimes destroyed the lives of so many women and girls, and our thoughts remain with his victims.”