BREAKING: Police Raid Two Properties Linked to Peter Mandelson Over Epstein Friendship
Pressure continues to be piled onto former member of the House of Lords, Peter Mandelson, after it was revealed he leaked sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that they are searching two properties linked to Mandelson.
Deputy assistant commissioner Hayley Sewart, of the Met, 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 offences, involving a 72-year-old man.”
Sewart confirmed that no arrests have been made.
Today’s drama follows Mandelson dramatically resigning from the House of Lords after leaking sensitive information to Epstein during their long friendship.
There is no suggestion that Mandelson was involved in any of the crimes Epstein was accused of.
The move came as Keir Starmer said he had handed a dossier to the police after it emerged Mandelson had sent a string of emails to Epstein containing briefings he received as business secretary under Gordon Brown, including action the government was taking to deal with the global financial crisis.
Starmer told a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday morning he was appalled by the reported leaks and had also asked officials to draft legislation to strip Mandelson of his peerage “as quickly as possible”.
The cabinet secretary, the UK’s most senior civil servant, is examining leaked emails sent by Mandelson during the final year of Gordon Brown’s government. The correspondence includes messages relating to the possible sale of government assets and advance confirmation of a €500bn European bailout.
The latter insider information could have helped him make a profit on the stock exchange.
The documents have since been passed to the Metropolitan Police, which said it would review the emails and consider whether a broader investigation is required.
Among the material are emails forwarded to Epstein from the highest levels of government while Mandelson was business secretary, including a confidential briefing prepared for the prime minister setting out proposals for up to £20bn in asset sales.
The emails also show Mandelson saying he was “trying hard” to influence government policy on bankers’ bonuses, providing early confirmation of an impending eurozone bailout, and suggesting that the head of JPMorgan should “mildly threaten” the chancellor over bonuses.
A spokesperson for Keir Starmer said the Cabinet Office was reviewing all information it held relating to the documents. An initial assessment of the Epstein files released on Friday by the US Department of Justice found they contained “likely market-sensitive information” connected to the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent efforts to stabilise the economy.