Met Police apologises to Commons Speaker for Mandelson investigation blunder
The Metropolitan Police has apologised to the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for inadvertently revealing information during its investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office, the force said in a statement.
It comes after Sir Lindsay revealed that he tipped off Scotland Yard about fears Peter Mandelson was a flight risk.
The peer claimed a “baseless suggestion” he was a flight risk had led to his arrest this week. Mandelson was arrested on Monday and quizzed by police over allegations he passed on sensitive documents to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein while he was Business Secretary. He has been bailed until May.
Lawyers for the former Labour minister claimed he had been arrested – despite an agreement to speak to police voluntarily – after someone told the Metropolitan Police he was planning to leave the country.
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In a statement to the Commons, Sir Lindsay said: “Members will be aware of comments in the media regarding the arrest of Lord Mandelson. To prevent any inaccurate speculation I’d like to confirm that, upon receipt of information, that I felt it was relevant I pass this on to the Metropolitan Police in good faith, as is my duty and responsibility. It is regrettable this rapidly ended in the media. As this is a live investigation, members will understand… it would not be appropriate to make any further comment, and I’d like to caution members from doing so.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said later on Wednesday: “The Met has apologised to the Speaker of the House of Commons this afternoon for inadvertently revealing information during an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office.”
The Speaker is understood to have visited the British Virgin Islands between February 16 and 20, while Parliament was in recess. There he heard information which he felt he had to share with the police in the UK about Lord Mandelson. The Times reported this information suggested the peer was a possible flight risk.
Lord Mandelson’s lawyers said the report to the Metropolitan Police that he was planning to leave the country was a “baseless suggestion”. They said: “There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in any such suggestion. We have asked the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) for the evidence relied upon to justify the arrest. Peter Mandelson’s overriding priority is to co-operate with the police investigation, as he has done throughout this process, and to clear his name.”
The Guardian reported that Scotland Yard officers were meeting the Speaker on Wednesday to explain the error, which was regarded internally as a serious breach of protocol.
Emails from 2009, released as part of the so-called Epstein files, appear to show Lord Mandelson passed on an assessment by Gordon Brown’s adviser of potential policy measures, including an “asset sales plan”.
He also appeared to discuss a tax on bankers’ bonuses and confirm an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced in 2010. The emails appeared to be sent to Epstein after he became a convicted sex offender.
Lord Mandelson was taken into custody after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest last week, also on suspicion of misconduct in public office, after allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as the UK’s trade envoy.
MPs have backed the release of files related to Andrew’s appointment as a special representative for trade and investment, a post he held between 2001 and 2011.
The Government agreed but warned it would be unable to publish material that police need for their inquiries until officers are “satisfied”.
One of Sir Keir’s ministers took aim at Andrew in the Commons on Tuesday, calling him a “rude, arrogant and entitled man” who was on a “constant self-aggrandising and self-enriching hustle”.
Andrew spent 11 hours in custody after his arrest on his 66th birthday. Police confirmed on Tuesday night they had completed searches at Andrew’s former home, Royal Lodge. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing over his links to convicted sex offender Epstein, but has not directly responded to the latest allegations.
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