Peter Mandelson has found himself at the center of a legal storm, recently released on bail after intense questioning by authorities. The former business secretary is facing serious allegations of leaking sensitive information to the notorious financier Jeffrey Epstein during his tenure. This unfolding drama has captured public attention, casting a shadow on Mandelson’s political legacy.

The once-influential minister was apprehended by detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Special Investigations Team, a group often referred to as the ‘Celeb Squad’ due to their high-profile cases. Mandelson was taken into custody under suspicion of misconduct in public office, marking a significant development in this high-stakes investigation.

After a grueling nine-hour interrogation, the 72-year-old, known for his role in shaping New Labour, was photographed leaving Wandsworth police station in the early hours of the morning. The images of him being driven away in a black car paint a picture of a man embroiled in controversy.

His return home was equally subdued, as he chose the anonymity of a London black cab, avoiding any interaction with the media and maintaining a somber demeanor as he entered his residence. This scene underscores the gravity of the accusations he faces and the personal toll it may be taking.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed the details of the arrest, stating, “A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation.” They further clarified that Mandelson was detained at his Camden address on Monday, February 23rd, before being taken to a London police station for questioning.

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

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

‘We are not able to provide further information at this stage to prevent prejudicing the integrity of the investigation.’

He had been picked up at around 4.30pm yesterday at his £7.6million Regent’s Park home, 17 days after officers searched his properties in London and Wiltshire. 

Last night there were questions over why police waited more than a fortnight after those raids to make the arrest.

An ashen-faced Mandelson was seen walking behind Met Detective Inspector Barry Williams, who had a body-worn camera clipped to his jacket lapel. 

Peter Mandelson has been released on bail after being quizzed late into the night over allegations he leaked sensitive information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary

At around 2am the 72-year-old architect of New Labour was pictured looking solemn as he was driven out of Wandsworth police station

Peter Mandelson arrives home after being released from Wandsworth police station

The disgraced former minister Peter Mandelson was led away by detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Special Investigations Team yesterday afternoon 

An ashen-faced Mandelson was seen walking behind Met Detective Inspector Barry Williams (left), who had a body-worn camera clipped to his jacket lapel 

He and the peer climbed into the rear of an unmarked Ford Focus while a female officer took the front seat. 

Upon arrival, he would have been processed in custody – with a DNA saliva swab, fingerprints and a custody photograph taken – before being placed in a holding room pending the arrival of his solicitor.

His arrest comes days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was held on suspicion of the same offence. 

When Mountbatten-Windsor was questioned by Thames Valley Police, he was interviewed for 11 hours. 

Lord Mandelson is expected to have received a similar treatment, including being allowed regular breaks and the right to offer a ‘no comment interview’. 

Detectives are expected to have questioned him about emails published in the latest tranche of Epstein files, as well as documents seized during searches of his two homes earlier this month.

The Special Investigations Team, part of Scotland Yard’s central specialist crime division, handles highly sensitive inquiries involving high-profile figures and politically exposed persons. 

Its remit includes allegations of offences committed by those in public office, matters connected to the Parliamentary Estate, as well as electoral fraud and malpractice.

To make an arrest, officers must have reasonable grounds to suspect an offence has been committed and satisfy the so-called ‘necessity test’, demonstrating that detention is essential for specific investigative reasons. 

Police have not commented on the precise trigger for yesterday’s move and there is no suggestion it relates to any wrongdoing during the investigation itself.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then the Duke of York, pictured with Lord Mandelson, then the EU’s trade commissioner, in Brussels in June 2007

In this photo, Lord Mandelson stands in white underwear talking to a woman in a bathing robe

The dramatic development will heap pressure on Sir Keir Starmer, who approved Lord Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States in December 2024 despite longstanding controversy over his relationship with Epstein.

The Government had yesterday pledged to release documents relating to the controversial appointment. MPs were told that the first bundle would be published ‘very shortly in early March’. But Mandelson’s arrest at 4.15pm has now cast doubt over that timeline.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said officials were trawling through a vast quantity of material but intended to release the first tranche imminently. 

He admitted it was ‘clearly a process that will take some time’ given the scale of the request and said documents were being reviewed to ensure publication would not damage ‘national security or international relations’.

He added that Scotland Yard had advised against releasing some exchanges between Downing Street and the New Labour grandee for fear of prejudicing any potential prosecution.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: ‘Mandelson’s arrest is the defining moment of Keir Starmer’s premiership.

‘It wasn’t long ago the PM looked me in the eye at PMQs and said he had ‘full confidence’ in Mandelson.

‘Time to release the Mandelson files in full. We must know who knew what and when. No more delays.’

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood claimed that ‘the Government’s progress moves with the urgency of a tired sloth on a Bank Holiday Monday’.

He added: ‘It is time the Government stopped treating Parliament like an inconvenient interruption to their schedule, stopped giving every impression that they have priorities working out whose back to cover, and started providing some actual answers so that we can start to get to the bottom of this murky matter.’

Labour backbencher Andy McDonald referred to the peer as ‘the lord of the files’, saying: ‘There are many people in this place and across the country who would not have touched Peter Mandelson with a bargepole and they’re trying to get their head round why on earth this Government wasn’t of the same view.’

Andrew is pictured leaving Aylsham police station in Norfolk shortly after 7pm on February 19

Lord Mandelson is pictured and mentioned many times throughout the released Epstein files 

Downing Street yesterday denied reports that corners were cut in Mandelson’s security vetting ahead of his Washington posting. 

Although his clearance to access top-secret documents was reportedly fast-tracked within weeks rather than months, No 10 insisted full checks were completed.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘No part of the vetting process was skipped or removed. It is normal procedure for vetting sponsors to prioritise cases based on deployment deadlines.’

Police raids on Mandelson’s homes followed the release of three million pages of documents by the US Department of Justice relating to Epstein. 

Emails contained within the files are said to suggest that Mandelson, while business secretary and de-facto deputy prime minister to Gordon Brown, and Mountbatten-Windsor, as UK trade envoy, passed potentially sensitive information from official briefings to Epstein.

Documents released in the US indicate Mandelson may have disclosed details of potential policy measures – including an asset sales plan, a tax on bankers’ bonuses and a bailout package for the euro – the day before public announcement in 2010. Gordon Brown has accused him of ‘betrayal’.

Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing. Following revelations in the Epstein emails, the former minister without portfolio said he had ‘no recollection’ of receiving payments totalling $75,000 from Epstein between 2003 and 2004. 

Epstein is also said to have paid for an osteopathy course for Mandelson’s husband, Reinaldo Avila Da Silva, in 2009. 

The peer has insisted he broke no laws and did not act for personal gain, though he has repeatedly expressed regret over his friendship with Epstein, which continued after the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor.

Given the complexity of the inquiry, it is considered likely that once questioning concludes Lord Mandelson will either be released under investigation or granted police bail while detectives continue to examine the vast cache of material.