Police review misconduct claims over Mandelson-Epstein links

• Police review alleged misconduct claims after documents suggest Lord Mandelson shared sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein.
• BBC reports growing political pressure for investigation, peerage reform, and a possible national security inquiry.

British police are reviewing allegations of misconduct in public office after newly released court documents suggested Lord Peter Mandelson shared sensitive government information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a cabinet minister.

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The Metropolitan Police said it had received multiple referrals following the release of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice relating to Epstein. Officers are assessing whether the claims meet the criminal threshold for a formal investigation, According to BBC reporting.

Allegations tied to released emails

The documents appear to show email exchanges from 2009, when Mandelson was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Labour government, in which internal government information was allegedly forwarded to Epstein.

Among the claims outlined in the files are suggestions that Mandelson shared advance notice of major economic decisions, including discussions around asset sales, banking taxes, and European financial rescue plans.

Read more: British politician resigns from Labour Party over Epstein ties

BBC reports also cite allegations that Epstein made financial payments to Mandelson in the early 2000s and later transferred money to Mandelson’s partner. Mandelson has denied receiving payments from Epstein and said the claims are false.

Political pressure mounts

The SNP and Reform UK confirmed they had referred the matter to police, while the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, and several Labour MPs have called for a full investigation.

Downing Street said Prime Minister Keir Starmer believes Mandelson should not sit in the House of Lords or continue to use his title, though officials acknowledged that existing law does not allow a prime minister to directly remove a peerage.

A government spokesperson told the BBC it was “right for the police to determine whether to investigate,” adding that the government would cooperate fully if required.

Government and party response

The BBC reported that the government has launched its own internal inquiry into Mandelson’s contacts with Epstein during his time in office.

Mandelson resigned his Labour Party membership over the weekend and is currently on leave from the House of Lords. He previously stepped down from his role as UK ambassador to the United States after further details of his relationship with Epstein emerged.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown said he had asked the cabinet secretary to conduct a broader investigation into the alleged disclosure of confidential and market-sensitive information during the financial crisis.

Calls for reform

Senior figures across Parliament described the allegations as deeply damaging. Speaking in the House of Commons, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said the alleged exchange of funds and information with a convicted sex offender was “wholly unconscionable.”

BBC political editorials note that the case has intensified calls for reform of House of Lords disciplinary rules, including mechanisms to remove peers found to have brought the chamber into disrepute.

Lord Mandelson has not responded to BBC requests for comment on the latest allegations but has previously apologised for maintaining contact with Epstein after his conviction, saying he did so with “profound regret”.