Peter Mandelson may lose £31,000 EU pension as he faces fraud probe | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Peter Mandelson may lose his £31,000-a-year EU pension over allegations that he shared confidential info with Jeffrey Epstein. The European Commission has now referred Lord Mandelson to fraud investigators over allegations he gave the American financier and intercourse offender advance discover of the EU’s €500billion bailout to Greece.

It means he may lose the beneficiant EU pension he receives after serving simply 4 years as an EU commissioner from 2004-08. The 72-year-old has been entitled to the funds since turning 65 in 2018. But EU pensions are linked to good behaviour clauses, which apply “both during and after their term of office”, that means they are often eliminated.

An EU spokesman stated the Commission had requested the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) to look into paperwork launched as a part of the Epstein information, Politico reviews. They seem to point out that Lord Mandelson gave Epstein advance discover of the EU’s €500billion bailout to Greece, agreed in 2010 whereas the peer was enterprise secretary within the Labour UK Government led by Gordon Brown.

Lord Mandelson was arrested by the Metropolitan Police earlier this week on suspicion of misconduct in public workplace.

An European Commission spokesman advised Politico: “Given the circumstances, and the significant amount of documents made available publicly, the European Commission also asked Olaf on February 18 to look into the matter.”

Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister won’t be able to overrule Parliament’s safety watchdog on whether or not paperwork referring to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to Washington might be printed, the Government has confirmed.

Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) stated officers had confirmed “in writing” that it will have the ultimate say on which papers could be launched following a gathering on Thursday.

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MPs have ordered the Government to launch an enormous amount of paperwork referring to the appointment following questions concerning the peer’s vetting and his hyperlinks to Epstein.

Some of the hundreds of paperwork are anticipated to be withheld for nationwide safety causes, however will probably be as much as the ISC, somewhat than ministers, to find out which objects ought to be redacted.

In a press release, the ISC stated it had met Cabinet Office officers on Thursday morning.

It stated: “Following this morning’s meeting, officials have now confirmed in writing to the committee that the decision as to whether material referred to the ISC is published is for the committee alone.

“The Prime Minister – or anyone else in Government – will not be able to overrule the committee’s decision to publish material that has been referred to it.”