Lord Mandelson Arrested on Suspicion of Misconduct
Lord Mandelson has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. This development follows allegations that the former Labour minister and UK ambassador to the US passed market-sensitive government information to financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019.
Lord Mandelson has not made any public statements in recent weeks. However, the BBC understands that he has consistently maintained that he did not act criminally and was not motivated by financial gain.
19 December 2024: Appointment as US Ambassador
Lord Mandelson, who held several ministerial positions under Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, was appointed as the UK's ambassador to the United States. At the time of his appointment, his prior friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was publicly known.
8 September 2025: Birthday Message to Epstein Released
A letter from Lord Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein, in which Mandelson refers to Epstein as his "best pal," was included in a compilation released by US lawmakers. The letter was part of a book celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003.
11 September 2025: Dismissal as US Ambassador
Lord Mandelson was dismissed from his role as US ambassador after the government disclosed new information regarding the "depth" of his relationship with Epstein. This followed the publication of emails in which Mandelson expressed support for Epstein during the financier's 2008 sex offence charges.
30 January 2026: Documents Indicate Payments from Epstein
A set of documents released by the US Department of Justice suggested that Epstein made payments totaling $75,000 (£55,000) to accounts linked to Lord Mandelson between 2003 and 2004. Lord Mandelson stated that he has no record or recollection of receiving these amounts and is uncertain about the authenticity of the documents.
Additionally, an email indicated that Epstein sent £10,000 to Lord Mandelson's partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, in 2009 to cover the cost of an osteopathy course.
1 February 2026: Resignation from Labour Party
Lord Mandelson resigned his membership of the Labour Party, citing a desire to avoid causing "further embarrassment" to the party due to his connections with Epstein.
2 February 2026: Emails Suggest Sharing of Government Information
Emails released in the US suggested that Lord Mandelson forwarded market-sensitive government information to Epstein in 2009 while serving as business secretary in Gordon Brown's government. One email appeared to provide Epstein with advance notice of a €500bn bailout from the European Union intended to save the Euro. Another email discussed plans for a one-off tax on bankers' bonuses.
3 February 2026: Police Investigation Launched
The Metropolitan Police initiated a criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson concerning allegations of misconduct in public office.
23 February 2026: Arrested by Police
Lord Mandelson was seen being escorted from his London residence by police officers. The Metropolitan Police subsequently confirmed that a 72-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and taken to a London police station for interview.
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