On Wednesday, Scotland Yard issued a remarkable apology to the Speaker of the House of Commons amidst a controversy surrounding the arrest of Peter Mandelson.
Detectives had informed Mandelson’s legal team that Sir Lindsay Hoyle had alerted them to allegations that the peer might be planning an escape from the country.
Metropolitan Police officers moved in on Monday evening, only hours after Sir Lindsay had, in ‘good faith,’ relayed a tip suggesting that the former Labour communications chief intended to flee to the British Virgin Islands, allegedly supported by a mysterious affluent benefactor offering sanctuary.
Mandelson’s legal representatives responded with a strong public statement, insisting on seeing ‘evidence’ for the ‘unfounded claim’ that resulted in his arrest, as the disgruntled peer reportedly told associates he was the target of a ‘complete fabrication.’
In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday, Sir Lindsay acknowledged he was the source of the information, dispelling incorrect rumors that Lord Speaker Michael Forsyth was involved.
Addressing MPs at the start of the day in the Commons, the Speaker stated: ‘Members will be aware of comments in the media regarding the arrest of Lord Mandelson.’
‘To prevent any inaccurate speculation, I would like to confirm that upon receipt of information that I felt was relevant, I passed this on to the Met Police in good faith as is my duty and responsibility.’
He added: ‘It is regrettable that this rapidly ended up in the media.’ He went on to caution MPs against making any further comments about ‘a live investigation’.
In farcical scenes, officers then had to apologise on Wednesday for spilling his name to Mandelson, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after being accused, while business secretary, of leaking Government secrets to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Met Police made an unprecedented apology to Speaker of the Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, after the told Peter Mandelson’s lawyers it was him who tipped them off over claims he was planning to flee the country
Peter Mandelson (pictured) was arrested on Monday evening following Sir Hoyle’s tip off, which his lawyers branded as a ‘baseless suggestion’. Mandelson was later released
On Wednesday night, legal experts warned the ongoing furore being played out in public could cast a shadow over any prosecution of the former Cabinet minister.
The public comment on police tactics in a live case has concerned some experts who believe Mandelson’s lawyers may be considering an argument that he cannot receive a fair trial.
The disgraced former Labour grandee, who has denied any wrongdoing, is understood to have surrendered his passport and has been released on bail.
Sir Lindsay was said to be fuming on Wednesday about the disclosure of his involvement, which officers later acknowledged was a serious breach of protocol.
In a meeting with officials from the Cabinet Office on Monday, he warned police that he had been told Mandelson had been offered a permanent residence in the British overseas territory by a wealthy sympathiser.
The information was allegedly passed on from an individual in a position of authority in the overseas territory.
The Commons Speaker visited the territory in the Caribbean last week after being invited to mark the 75th anniversary of its assembly. He met the governor and premier before addressing its parliament.
Sources said he had put the information ‘on the radar’ of officers, but claimed no knowledge of the veracity of the tip. Believing he may have been an imminent flight risk, police rushed to arrest Mandelson at his Regent’s Park home at 4.15pm that afternoon.
But Mandelson’s lawyers, Mishcon de Reya, issued a statement denouncing police for being fooled by a ‘baseless suggestion’.
A spokesman for the law firm said on Tuesday: ‘Peter Mandelson was arrested yesterday despite an agreement with the police that he would attend an interview next month on a voluntary basis.
‘The arrest was prompted by a baseless suggestion that he was planning to leave the country and take up permanent residence abroad.
‘There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in any such suggestion. We have asked the Metropolitan Police Service for the evidence relied upon to justify the arrest.
‘Peter Mandelson’s overriding priority is to co-operate with the police investigation, as he has done throughout this process, and to clear his name.’
Mandelson is said to have told friends: ‘Despite a previous agreement between police and legal team over a voluntary interview in early March, police arrested me because they claimed… that I was about to flee to the British Virgin Islands and take up permanent residence abroad, leaving [his husband] Reinaldo, my family, home and [his dog] Jock behind me. I need hardly say this is complete fiction.’
On Wednesday, Marcus Johnstone, managing director of PCD Solicitors, suggested the comments were part of a wider legal strategy. ‘Going public with that statement yesterday in some respects makes a mockery of the rules [about prejudice],’ he said.
‘His lawyers could have made that comment privately, but what has in effect happened is feeding information into the public domain about unfairness.
‘His lawyers will be looking at pre-charge arguments, possibly considering an argument that he should not be charged because he has been treated unfairly.
‘Certainly if I was his lawyer, I would be looking to trying to stop any prosecution. His lawyers will be looking at every single aspect as to whether he can get a fair trial.
‘I think they have made a conscious decision to say we think that there is unfairness going on, why not release that to the Press? Try to get the public on his side that he is a scapegoat.’
The Government has committed to releasing documents relating to Mandelson’s controversial appointment as US ambassador in late 2024.
He was sacked in September last year after details emerged about the extent and duration of his links to Epstein.
Mandelson was business secretary under Gordon Brown from 2008 to 2011.
On Wednesday night, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘The Met has apologised to the Speaker of the House of Commons this afternoon for inadvertently revealing information during an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office.’
