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The United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police have officially launched an investigation into Peter Mandelson, a former British government minister, over allegations of misconduct in the exercise of public office. The news was confirmed after the release of new court documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Metropolitan Police Commander Ella Marriott said the investigation was opened after receiving several reports of suspected breaches of public duty, including a formal referral from the UK Government.
"I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former government minister, for alleged acts of misconduct in the exercise of public office," Marriott said, adding that the police will assess all relevant information and will not comment further at this stage.
The investigation comes after the release of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice related to the Epstein case. Some of the documents reportedly suggest email exchanges and communications between Mandelson and Epstein, which included discussions of government and political matters, during a period when Mandelson served as business secretary and de facto deputy prime minister in the government of former prime minister Gordon Brown.
Following the police announcement, a British government spokesman said the executive was ready to provide any support and assistance necessary for the investigation. Earlier, Downing Street confirmed that the Cabinet Office had referred concerns to the police about the way Mandelson had handled sensitive government information during his term.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also announced that he has written to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Mark Rowley, about Mandelson's contacts with Epstein.
Meanwhile, Mandelson himself has previously admitted that he was wrong to maintain a relationship with Epstein after the latter's conviction in 2008 for procuring a child for prostitution and encouraging prostitution. "I was wrong to trust Epstein and to continue my relationship with him. I apologise unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered as a result," he said.
In a recent interview with The Times, Mandelson referred to some "historically wrong emails" that he said he deeply regretted, describing Epstein as "a piece of garbage that you can't get out of your shoe."
The police investigation is expected to shed light on the nature of the contacts and whether there were any legal violations in the exercise of public functions by the former senior British official.
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