OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
5:00 PM – Monday, February 23, 2026
The Metropolitan Police arrested 72-year-old Lord Peter Mandelson on Monday at his home in Camden, North London.
The arrest represents a major escalation in the scandal involving his past ties to pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, effectively dismantling the career of one of Britain’s most prominent political figures.
The arrest also follows revelations from the Trump Justice Department’s released “Epstein Files,” a massive trove of over 3 million pages, plus images and videos, that was released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on January 30, 2026, in compliance with the “Epstein Files Transparency Act.”
‼️Lord Peter Mandelson has been arrested on “suspicion of misconduct in public office”.
— Laura Aboli Official (@LauraAboli_X) February 23, 2026
Lord Mandelson was dismissed earlier this month from the House of Lords after it was revealed he had lied about his relationship and correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.
This marks the… pic.twitter.com/H5hq6ETiZ0
The 72-year-old former diplomat was taken into custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office — a common law offense that can carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for serious abuse of public trust or willful misconduct by a public official.
Metropolitan Police officers had executed search warrants at Lord Mandelson’s London and Wiltshire residences before taking him into custody. He was subsequently transported to a central London police station for formal questioning.
The investigation centers on correspondence recovered from the files, which suggests Mandelson may have disclosed sensitive government and market intelligence to Epstein during his tenure as Business Secretary, from 2008–2010, under Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Authorities further noted that they are now examining a pattern of potential illicit “information trading” between the two men.
This includes allegations that Mandelson forwarded internal Downing Street memos and shared confidential details regarding economic policy and the UK’s response to the 2008 financial crisis. Additionally, investigators are also scrutinizing his broader financial and personal ties to Epstein, including those dating back to his time as a private citizen.
Mandelson later issued a firm denial of all allegations, maintaining that he has committed no wrongdoing.
The Fall From Grace
Once a towering figure of the “New Labour” era, Mandelson’s reputation has been systematically dismantled over the last year — moving from his high-profile appointment as U.S. ambassador in late 2024 to his summary firing, resignation from the House of Lords, and now, his detention by police.
- December 2024: Appointed British ambassador to the United States by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The appointment was controversial from the start due to Mandelson’s past scandals, but it ultimately collapsed when the files revealed correspondence that contradicted his previous accounts of their friendship.
- September 2025: Fired as ambassador after leaks revealed the depth of his friendship with Epstein, including referring to him as a “best pal” and continued support even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.
- Early February 2026: Resigned from the Labour Party and the House of Lords amid the escalating scandal.
- February 23, 2026: Arrested by the Metropolitan Police.
Additionally, the Financial Times reported that Barclays has since terminated its relationship with Global Counsel, the lobbying firm founded by Mandelson, in relation to the new revelations about the firm’s close links to Epstein.
According to the outlet, “Mandelson leaked a sensitive UK government document to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary that proposed £20bn of asset sales and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans.”
🚨EU Politician Lord Peter Mandelson implicated with Epstein and continued visits to Russia🚨
— The Epstein Files (@TheEpsteinFiles) February 4, 2026
The emails show years of casual, unguarded exchanges between Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein while Mandelson was repeatedly traveling to Russia.
In messages from 2011-2013, Mandelson… pic.twitter.com/exkRxZyYMC
Mandelson, a foundational architect of New Labour and a longtime influential figure in British politics, had served as a close advisor to the current government.
The scandal has dealt a serious blow to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who publicly apologized to Epstein’s victims in early February 2026, claiming that he had been “misled” by Mandelson about the depth of their relationship during the vetting process for the U.S. ambassadorship.
Adding to the political fallout, Starmer’s Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney — who had strongly advocated for Mandelson’s appointment — resigned shortly afterward as well, taking responsibility for the decision.
Meanwhile, Mandelson’s arrest follows the recent arrest and release of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, on similar charges of misconduct in public office related to purportedly sharing government or trade-related information with Epstein. Last week, Andrew was arrested on his birthday, February 19th, and brought in for questioning for several hours before being released.
No formal charges have been filed against Mandelson as of now.
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