British police on Tuesday released former minister and ambassador Peter Mandelson, the day after he was detained in connection with allegations related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, where he was interrogated on suspicions of leaking sensitive information while holding official positions, which cast a shadow over the political scene and increased pressure on Keir Starmer's government.
Published on: 02/23/2026 - 22:39 Last updated: 02/24/2026 - 10:06
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London police said early Tuesday that they had released former British minister and ambassador Peter Mandelson on bail pending the completion of investigations, the day after his arrest against the backdrop of allegations related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The same source explained in a statement: “A 72-year-old man was released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of committing violations while holding public office, pending further investigations.”
The London police arrested Mandelson on Monday and took him for questioning, as part of an investigation into suspicion of leaking sensitive information to the late American businessman. It explained in a statement that its officers “arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of negligence in performing his official duties,” without revealing the name of the suspect, as is customary in the United Kingdom. She added that he was "transferred to the police station for questioning."
The BBC and Sky News stations showed scenes of Peter Mandelson, 72, leaving his home in central London, accompanied by a man and a woman in civilian clothes who put him in a civilian car.
The arrest of Mandelson, who was previously one of the most prominent figures in the Labor Party, comes four days after the arrest of former Prince Andrew on Thursday on suspicion of his involvement in the Epstein case.
Andrew, who previously held the title of Prince and Duke of York, is suspected of leaking potentially confidential information to Epstein during his tenure as the UK's special envoy for international trade between 2001 and 2011.
Andrew was released on Thursday evening after being detained for several hours "pending investigation."
On February 3, the London police announced the opening of an investigation into Mandelson after documents in the Epstein case published by the US Department of Justice at the end of last January showed that he may have leaked to Jeffrey Epstein information about the stock market that might affect the markets, especially when he was a minister in Gordon Brown’s government between 2008 and 2010.
Three days later, the police reported that they had searched two residences for Mandelson, one in the Camden neighborhood in London, and the other in Wiltshire (southwest of England).
These developments led to the weakening of Keir Starmer's Labor government, which is accused of appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington in late 2024, despite its knowledge that the former minister and European Commissioner maintained a close relationship with Epstein after his conviction for sex crimes.
Stamer had appointed former European Minister and Commissioner Mandelson to this sensitive position in December 2024, shortly before Donald Trump returned to the White House. But he fired him in September 2025 after publishing documents that included details of his relationship with Epstein.
Starmer apologized to Jeffrey Epstein's victims, and both his office manager and his press officer resigned.
The government subsequently pledged to publish all documents related to Mandelson's appointment and dismissal. The first batch is scheduled to be published in early March, a government member said Monday.
France 24/AFP
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