Epstein files: Police reviewing Mandelson's alleged government misconduct
Pressure is growing for Lord Mandelson to be stripped of his peerage, and for police to hold an investigation into his relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, as ITV News Political Correspondent Harry Horton reports
Police are reviewing a number of reports of alleged misconduct by Peter Mandelson after he was accused of leaking of sensitive information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Metropolitan Police said it has received "a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in public office" and those reports will be reviewed "to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation".
The country's top civil servant has been tasked with urgently looking into information on links between Mandelson and Epstein while he was a government minister.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown said he had asked Sir Chris Wormald to investigate the disclosure of “confidential and market sensitive information” during the global financial crisis.
Sir Keir Starmer meanwhile has said Lord Peter Mandelson "should not be a member of the House of Lords".
The prime minister believed the former US ambassador should not be allowed to use the title or sit in parliament, but added that he does not have the power to strip him of his peerage, Downing Street said.
It follows Mandelson's resignation from the Labour Party on Sunday after he featured in new documents released by the US Department of Justice last week.
Some of the documents appear to show that Epstein had sent tens of thousands of dollars to Mandelson and his husband, and pictures of him in his underwear.
Mandelson said that he has no record or recollection of receiving the sums and did not know whether the documents were authentic. He said they need "investigating by me".
Documents released by the US Department of Justice appear to show Epstein was sent details of internal discussions from the heart of the UK government after the global financial crisis.
Lord Mandelson, then the business secretary, also appeared to tell Epstein he would lobby ministers over a tax on bankers’ bonuses in 2009, and to confirm an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced in 2010.
The Liberal Democrats, SNP and Plaid Cymru called for Lord Mandelson to face a police investigation for potential misconduct in public office.
Starmer has urged the Lords to work with the government to modernise disciplinary procedures to make it easier to remove disgraced peers.
At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, the prime minister dodged questions about Lord Mandelson's peerage.
Starmer did not say if he would support introducing legislation to strip Lord Mandelson of his peerage when asked by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey.
Similarly, he declined to say whether he thinks Lord Mandelson should be subject to a police investigation when asked by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the government should take "immediate action by bringing forward legislation to strip Peter Mandelson of his peerage."
"It is the very least they can do for the victims and survivors of his friend Jeffrey Epstein," he said in a statement.
"If Mandelson has any shame left he will retire from the House of Lords today while this process gets underway."
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Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said stripping Lord Mandelson of his peerage should be “looked at” if he is “convicted of committing crimes."
She said: “I think there is a lot that needs to be looked into, including investigating how he ever came to be appointed, and all levers which can be pulled in order to remove him from public office, including removal from the House of Lords.”
SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flyyn said: "There is no question that Lord Mandelson's actions were shameful and unethical - the only question is the extent to which his actions breached the ministerial code and the law.
"I have, therefore, reported Peter Mandelson to the Metropolitan Police.
"Given the seriousness of the allegations against Lord Mandelson, it is essential these matters are fully investigated to ensure maximum transparency and justice."
ITV News has repeatedly tried to put allegations to Lord Mandelson but there has been no response.
It comes after Lord Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday evening, saying he was "regretful" he had been "further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein."
In a letter to the general secretary of the Labour Party, Hollie Ridely, he said: “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this.
“Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me.
“While doing this, I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party.
“I want to take this opportunity to repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now.
“I have dedicated my life to the values and success of the Labour Party and in taking my decision, I believe I am acting in its best interests.”
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