Two of Peter Mandelson’s properties have been searched by police investigating claims of misconduct in a public office.
Boxes were seen being carried from his property in Camden, north London, on Friday evening, while police cars were parked in the driveway of Mandelson’s Wiltshire house.
Plain-clothed officers also used torches to briefly search a Range Rover outside the London address.
Live updates on Mandelson investigation
Police searched Mandelson’s house in Wiltshire. Pic: PA
Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Hayley Sewart said the “central specialist crime team” were carrying out the warrants.
“The searches are related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences, involving a 72-year-old man,” said a statement.
“He has not been arrested and enquiries are ongoing.”
The search is part of an investigation into Lord Mandelson following the latest release of files about Jeffrey Epstein, which have revealed more details about the pair’s relationship.
They appear to show Mandelson passed on market-sensitive information to Epstein when he was business secretary after the 2008 financial crisis.
Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. He has said he regrets maintaining a relationship with him and apologised to the financier’s victims.
Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein on a yacht. Pic: US Department of Justice
‘Significant volume of material’ to be reviewed
Sir Keir Starmer remains under pressure to release documents related to the peer’s vetting to become UK ambassador to the US – a job he was sacked from in September.
The prime minister has said Mandelson lied about the depth of his friendship with Epstein ahead of getting the prestigious job.
In a letter to the chair of parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), Sir Keir said he wanted the documents released as soon as possible.
However, he said “a very significant volume of material” on Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador needed to be reviewed first.
In Friday’s letter, Sir Keir said he had told the cabinet secretary to work with the ISC on “how material that may be prejudicial to the UK’s national security and international relations is shared and reviewed”.
Sir Keir Starmer is facing increasing pressure. Pic: Reuters
Documents coming ‘shortly’
Speaking to journalists earlier, Downing Street said the government would publish the documents “shortly”.
Sky News understands the government is working with police to ensure any document released does not undermine the police investigation into Mandelson.
Officials are believed to be in the early stages of assessing the documents, of which there are thousands.
The scandal surrounding Lord Mandelson has left Sir Keir under severe pressure, with some in Labour wanting him to resign.
Labour MPs are urging Sir Keir to reveal whether he saw a report by an influential party peer that warned of Lord Mandelson’s links to Epstein.
Labour grandee Lord Glasman told Sky News last September that he had flagged to Number 10 about the pair’s relationship but was met with a “discreet suggestion to basically shut up”.
Read more:
What we’ve found in Epstein files
Survivors condemn US government’s handling of files
In an interview with Sky News’ Sophy Ridge, Lord Glasman suggested he was asked to report to Number 10 about the pair’s relationship and he did – but suggested no action was taken.
“They asked me to send a report and I sent a report,” he said.
“I did say when I got back, I would think again about this publicly.
“Then I did get a discreet suggestion to basically shut up about that, and I did.”
McSweeney under pressure
Even more focus has been placed on the prime minister’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who was a close political ally of Lord Mandelson.
Labour backbencher MP Simon Opher called for a “clear out at Number 10”.
“If my chief of staff had done this, I think he would be looking for another job,” Mr Opher told the BBC.
Veteran Labour MP Clive Efford and Southport MP Patrick Hurley have also said Mr McSweeney should leave Number 10.
PM’s future
Former cabinet minister and Labour grandee Harriet Harman told the Electoral Dysfunction podcast previously that the prime minister needed a “real reset”.
Sir Keir could lose his premiership if he does not do the right thing, Ms Harman added.
However, so far no big names on the current frontline of Labour politics have turned their fire on the prime minister and his staff.
Sir Keir on Thursday apologised for believing Lord Mandelson’s “lies” about his closeness to paedophile financier Epstein.
The prime minister made Lord Mandelson the UK’s ambassador to the US in 2024.
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Following a partial release of the Epstein files last year, Sir Keir sacked him after it emerged how close the pair were.
Another tranche of millions of documents released by the US government recently saw Mandelson quit Labour and resign from the House of Lords.
