Peter Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office

Peter Mandelson has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office by officers investigating the latest revelations from the Epstein files.

The 72-year-old was seen being led out of his home by plain clothed police officers and loaded into a white car as other officers searched his properties in London and Wiltshire.

The former labor minister and US ambassador has been accused of passing on information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein when he was business secretary.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

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

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

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart, previously said: ‘I can confirm that officers from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime team are in the process of carrying out search warrants at two addresses, one in the Wiltshire area, and another in the Camden area.

‘The searches are related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offenses, involving a 72-year-old man.’

Lord Mandelson was pictured in the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice, showing him in his underwear in the financier’s Paris home.

A series of payments have also been found from Epstein to Mandelson and his husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva.

Lord Mandelson has not responded to the latest allegations, but in an interview with the Times he admitted to a ‘lapse in judgment’ over funding sent by Epstein to his husband Reinaldo for an osteopathy course.

Sir Keir Starmer has said his once-ally Peter Mandelson ‘betrayed our country, our Parliament and my party’.

Starmer admitted knowing about Lord Mandelson’s ongoing friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffry Epstein when he brought him back to government.

The Prime Minister said: ‘He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador, I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near Government.’

The force has begun a criminal investigation into allegations Lord Peter Mandelson passed market-sensitive information to Epstein while serving as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s labor administration, as it dealt with the 2008 financial crash and its aftermath.

Mandelson was already sacked from his role in Washington in September last year over his links with the paedophile financier.