Kamal Ghorui
Image shows Peter Mandelson, right, escorted from a house to a car, in London (AP)
Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the United States, was released on bail after being arrested in a misconduct probe related to his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Mandelson was filmed being led from his London home to a car by plainclothes officers on Monday afternoon.
He, along with former Prince Andrew, is suspected of improperly passing UK government information to Epstein. Unlike Prince Andrew, Mandelson does not face allegations of sexual misconduct.The arrests follow the release last month of more than 3 million pages of documents by the US Justice Department linked to Epstein. Messages suggest Mandelson shared sensitive government information in 2009, when he was a senior minister. These included an internal government report discussing ways the UK could raise money after the 2008 global financial crisis, including selling government assets. Mandelson also appears to have told Epstein he would lobby other members of the government to reduce a tax on bankers’ bonuses.Emails had been published showing he maintained a friendship with Epstein after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor. The files released in January contained further revelations about Mandelson’s ties to Epstein, whom he once called “my best pal.”Mandelson served in senior roles under previous Labour governments and was UK ambassador to Washington until prime minister Keir Starmer fired him in September. British police launched a criminal investigation earlier this month and searched Mandelson’s two homes in London and western England. His arrest came just four days after Prince Andrew was detained in a separate case on suspicion of a similar offense and released after 11 hours in custody while investigations continue.Earlier this month, Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords, Parliament’s upper chamber, where he had held a lifetime appointment since 2008. He retains the title — Lord Mandelson.
