Mandelson-Epstein latest: Starmer under pressure to release vetting documents after police announce criminal probe

A government spokesperson said the government stood ready to provide whatever support and assistance the police need in their investigation.

Commander Ella Marriott, of the Metropolitan Police, said: “Following the further release of millions of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice, the Met received a number of reports into alleged misconduct in public office including a referral from the UK Government.

“I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former government minister, for misconduct in public office offences.

“The Met will continue to assess all relevant information brought to our attention as part of this investigation and won’t be commenting any further at this time.”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has moved out of his home in Windsor to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk according to the BBC, Sky News and The Sun.

The former prince left Royal Lodge on Monday night and is currently living in a temporary property on the Sandringham Estate while his permanent home undergoes renovations.

Buckingham Palace did not comment on the matter when contacted by The Independent.

The Conservatives will seek to force the government to release all information on Sir Keir Starmer’s appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch demanded Downing Street explain the vetting process as she claimed concerns were “waived away” so that the prime minister could make “a political appointment of a man who is a close friend of a convicted paedophile”.

The Conservative Party on Wednesday intends to table a humble address motion, an arcane parliamentary mechanism which can be used to compel the government to produce documents.

Information it will demand be published include the due diligence work carried out by the Cabinet Office, emails between Lord Mandelson and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney relating to his association with Epstein, minutes of meetings held about the appointment and details of payments made to Lord Mandelson on his departure from the Washington role.

Humble addresses, if passed, are binding on ministers.

Ex-prime minister Gordon Brown has written to the chief of the Metropolitan Police with information relating to Lord Mandelson’s alleged disclosure of market-sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein.

He said he had given Sir Mark Rowley information relating to an “inexcusable and unpatriotic act”.

Newly released emails from 2009 appeared to show Lord Mandelson shared sensitive information on at least four occasions.

Mr Brown told the Press Association: “I have included the letter I sent in September 2025 asking the Cabinet Secretary to investigate the veracity of information contained in the Epstein papers regarding the sale of assets arising from the banking collapse and communications about them between Lord Mandelson and Mr Epstein.

“I have also included the November 2026 (sic) response from the Cabinet Secretary who said about this that ‘no records of information or correspondence from Lord Mandelson’s mailbox’ could be found.”

It has been reported that Lord Mandelson used a private email address to correspond with senior government figures and Epstein, and that the Cabinet Office cannot retrieve the messages because it is now defunct.

The Government has said it will provide any support the Metropolitan Police needs in its criminal investigation into allegations Lord Peter Mandelson leaked confidential information to Jeffrey Epstein.

A Government spokesperson said: “The Government stands ready to provide whatever support and assistance the police need.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said it is “right” there is a full criminal investigation into allegations Lord Peter Mandelson passed market sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein.

However, she told broadcasters it “should not distract from the fact that the Prime Minister appointed a man who was the close friend and associate of a notorious and convicted paedophile”.

The Met Police have released a full statement on the investigation into Lord Mandelson.

Commander Ella Marriott, from the Metropolitan Police, said: “Following the further release of millions of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice, the Met received a number of reports into alleged misconduct in public office including a referral from the UK Government.

“I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former Government Minister, for misconduct in public office offences.

“The Met will continue to assess all relevant information brought to our attention as part of this investigation and won’t be commenting any further at this time.”