Lord Mandelson to face legal investigation over Epstein emails | Politics | News | EUROtoday

A legal investigation has been launched into Peter Mandelson over allegations he handed delicate info to the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

It comes following days of mounting strain on the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to take motion on the person he appointed as US ambassador amid questions across the peer’s affiliation with Epstein.

Files launched by the US Department of Justice seem to indicate Lord Mandelson handing the disgraced financier market-sensitive info whereas he was enterprise secretary within the Labour administration led by Gordon Brown.

Cabinet Office officers handed materials to the Met after a evaluate of paperwork launched by the US discovered they contained “likely market-sensitive information” and that official dealing with safeguards had been “compromised”.

It is known that the Met will announce the legal investigation formally on Wednesday, and make sure that the peer is being investigated on suspicion of misconduct in public workplace.

Lord Mandelson can even resign his seat within the House of Lords on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister slammed the peer, saying he had “let his country down” and confirmed he had requested officers to draft new legal guidelines that might strip him of his peerage.

But critics mentioned that this was not sufficient, with the Conservative Party demanding the discharge of the official vetting information on the previous ambassador.

The former prime minister, Gordon Brown, additionally wrote to the Met on Tuesday with info as he known as for an investigation.

He wrote that: “I have today written to the Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, with information relevant to his investigation of Lord Mandelson’s disclosure of market-sensitive and confidential government information to the American financier, Jeffrey Epstein.”

Mr Brown slammed it as “an inexcusable and unpatriotic act”.

It is known he despatched in depth correspondence to the Commissioner.

Upon the resignation of the previous US ambassador from the House of Lords, a Downing Street spokesman mentioned: “It is right that Peter Mandelson will no longer be a member of the House of Lords.”

Epstein was reportedly despatched particulars of inside discussions from the center of the UK Government after the worldwide monetary disaster.

Lord Mandelson appeared to inform Epstein he would foyer ministers over a tax on bankers’ bonuses in 2009, and to substantiate an imminent bailout bundle for the euro the day earlier than it was introduced in 2010.

In June 2009, he seems to have handed on what he known as an “interesting note that’s gone to the PM”, an evaluation by Mr Brown’s adviser Nick Butler of potential coverage measures, together with an “asset sales plan”.

Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch mentioned: “Five months ago, Mandelson was UK ambassador with the full confidence of the PM.

“Today, he’s now not the ambassador, in Labour or a peer.

“The scandal, sleaze, and speed of his downfall only increases the scrutiny on Starmer and McSweeney’s decision to send him to Washington.”