Newslinks for Tuesday 24th of February 2026

Mandelson released after arrest over suspicion of sharing information with Epstein

“Lord Mandelson has been released on bail after he was arrested for allegedly passing secret government information to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. He was pictured letting himself back into his London home in the early hours of Tuesday morning. A police statement said: “A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation”. The former ambassador to the US was taken into custody by the Metropolitan Police on Monday afternoon as part of their criminal investigation into claims that he leaked market-sensitive government documents and insider information during his time as business secretary. He has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He has previously denied any wrongdoing and said that he did not act for financial gain. Sir Keir Starmer faces questions about his political judgment in appointing Mandelson as ambassador despite knowing about Mandelson’s links to Epstein. The prime minister has said that Mandelson misled him about the extent of their friendship. Mandelson was arrested only days before a by-election in Gorton & Denton, in Manchester, that is considered crucial for Labour.”  – The Times

• Mandelson released from custody after being arrested – Daily Telegraph
• Peter Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office – FT
• Peter Mandelson arrested by Met Police – Spectator
• Mandelson is released on bail after being quizzed by Scotland Yard’s elite ‘Celeb Squad’: Questions over what prompted ‘unusual’ 4.30pm arrest at disgraced Lord’s £7m home 17 days after his properties were searched over links to Epstein – Daily Mail
• No special favours for Lord Mandelson in police custody – Daily Telegraph
• Peter Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office – Guardian
• Labour’s Peter Mandelson released on bail after sensational arrest – Daily Express
• Mandy Released. Peter Mandelson released on bail and arrives home at 2am after being held by Met cops for 9 hours over Epstein files – The Sun
• ‘Dear Gordon’ email was in Epstein’s inbox 38 minutes after reaching PM – Daily Telegraph
• Mystery over Mandelson arrest 17 days after his homes were searched as ex-cop asks ‘what made Met change their mind?’ –  Sun

COMMENT

• Mandelson’s downfall leaves New Labour in the dock – Ben Riley-Smith, Daily Telegraph
• Mandelson’s downfall is one of fastest ever seen in British public life – Matthew Weaver, The Guardian
• Why was Peter Mandelson arrested? Epstein files reveal key theories – Steven Swinford, Oliver Wright, The Times

Embattled Starmer goes to Gorton and Denton for last minute by-election push

“Sir Keir Starmer has staked his personal credibility on Labour winning a pivotal by-election by making his first visit to the constituency days before voters go to the polls. The prime minister warned that a Reform UK victory would cause the seat of Gorton & Denton to “descend into hostility” with a rise in community tensions. He had refused to say whether he would visit the seat and some senior Labour figures raised concerns that he could do more harm than good by doing so. However, Labour is increasingly optimistic that it will win the by-election by convincing undecided voters to back Labour rather than the Greens in a bid to stop Reform UK. While the seat is a three-way battle between Labour, Reform and the Greens, the prime minister is attempting to depict it as a “straight fight” between Labour and Reform.Starmer said: “The battle here is that basic battle between a party that wants to bring our communities together to make sure that everybody in this constituency has their voice heard in parliament through their brilliant Labour candidate, or a party that couldn’t really care less where the constituency is, just wants to use it as a platform for hatred and division and tearing people apart.” – The Times

• Gorton will descend into hostility if Reform wins, claims Starmer – Daily Telegraph
• The letter that reveals Starmer knows his leadership is under threat – The i
• Now loony Greens call for free-for-all on prostitution and porn as by-election nears – Daily Mail
• Fresh nightmare for Keir Starmer as Labour minister faces ethics probe – Daily Express
• Sleazy does it. Labour minister is probed by No10 ethics chief for ‘ordering dirty dossier on journalists’ – The Sun
• Watch: Labour MP’s ‘dark shit’ jibe – Spectator
• Police calls and ‘dodgy’ leaflets: inside the ‘toxic’ Gorton and Denton by-election – The i

Comment

• Labour’s by-election panic has triggered a full-blown identity crisis – Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph

‘Let me explain!’ Badenoch tells Lewis, who later apologises for ‘talking over her’ in fiery clash over student loans

“Kemi Badenoch slammed Martin Lewis for talking over her during a fiery clash over student loans. The Tory leader had been discussing repayment plans on Good Morning Britain when the interview was gate-crashed by the money expert. Ms Badenoch was initially being quizzed by hosts Ed Balls and Suzanna Reid over her party’s plans to reform the repayment system this morning. But the trio were visibly taken aback when Mr Lewis unexpectedly stormed onto set to grill the opposition leader over the policy. The TV star interrupted the interview, calling on Ms Badenoch to focus on increasing the salary threshold at which repayments start. During the fiery debate, she found herself involved in a shouting match with former Labour minister Mr Balls and the money expert. Ms Badenoch snapped: “If you want us to have a debate I’m very happy for us to have a debate. “I think people need to know what it is I am talking about, you’re both talking over me, excuse me, let me explain what my policy is.” Mr Balls then apologised to the Tory leader, before she continued to defend the policy and even offered to discuss options with Mr Lewis. She added: ‘I want to make sure that those young people who are paying and paying and their debt is not going down get a relief.” “If you think there is a better offer, let’s look at it. “The whole student loan system is not working properly and someone has to do something.” Viewers were quick to slam the “ambush” on ITV‘s flagship breakfast show” – The Sun

• Martin Lewis apologises for ambushing Kemi Badenoch live on air – Daily Telegraph
• Finance hero in debt to Badenoch after gatecrashing her interview – The Times

Editorial

• The student loans debt young people face is unjust and unsustainable – Daily Telegraph

Philipson unveils SEND policy and ‘four tier’ reforms for supporting kids as critics say the sums don’t add up

“All SEND pupils will be able to get support in school even if they have not been officially classed as requiring extra help, the Government will promise as it unveils a long-awaited shake-up of the system. Reform of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) regime in England is designed to end the status quo where an increasing number of children have been given a legal right to extra support beyond the help available in mainstream schools. It will cut the number of costly education, health and care plans (EHCPs) by requiring pupils on a plan to be reassessed when they move from primary to secondary school, and create a four-tier system with differing levels of intervention.” – The i

• Schools white paper: the key Send policies, winners and losers – The Times
• More than £430million spent by just ten councils to transport SEND children to schools last year – how much has your local authority spent? – Daily Mail
• SEND promise.  More than a million kids with SEND to get more help under sweeping school reforms – The Sun

Comment

• Labour’s Send proposals offer little reassurance for families – Jessie Hewitson, The Times
• Labour’s Send revolution is a high-stakes experiment. It also threatens precious parental rights – John Harris, Guardian
• Labour’s special educational needs reforms don’t add up – Joanna Williams, Spectator

UK unemployment to ‘rise above pandemic high within months’

“Unemployment will surge to 5.5pc within months as the jobless rate climbs above the worst months of the pandemic, a Wall Street bank has warned. Economists at JP Morgan said unemployment will hit two million in the first half of the year as businesses hold off hiring in the wake of Rachel Reeves’s £25bn raid on employers’ National Insurance contributions (NICs), which kicked in last April. The 5.5pc prediction compares to a peak of 5.3pc – equating to 1.8 million people – in December 2020. “Over a year has passed since the tax hike and the jobs market is still stagnating,” said Allan Monks, the chief UK economist at JP Morgan. The bank said the advance of artificial intelligence is also suppressing hiring. “Sectors which may be more exposed to AI adoption (eg business services and finance) continue to look relatively weak,” Mr Monks said. He expects employers to regain their confidence and start taking on staff once more later this year.” – Daily Telegraph

News in brief

• ‘I will never forgive myself for losing top-secret documents on a train’ – Larisa Brown, The Times
• How WM Police became a tool of the anti-Jewish mob – Brendan O’Neil, Spectator
• The amnesiocracy governing Britain – Mary Harrington, Unherd
• Who will save Britain’s lost generation? – Lawrence Newport, CapX