Britain’s high cop to go to US to push for launch of Mandelson’s unredacted Epstein information
Sir Mark Rowley will press US authorities to release unredacted Epstein emails as police investigate claims Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor leaked sensitive government information
The head of the Metropolitan Police will press the US authorities to expedite the release of unredacted exchanges between Mandelson and Epstein(Image: US Department of Justice)
Britain’s top cop is to press US authorities to speed up the release of unredacted communications between Peter Mandelson and his paedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein.
This week, Sir Mark Rowley will raise the issue during a visit to the United States as British investigators seek access to documents that could prove central to an ongoing inquiry into alleged misconduct by senior public figures linked to the disgraced financier. Police have already contacted the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in a bid to obtain material relating to Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Officers are examining claims that both men may have passed sensitive government information to Epstein. Investigators fear the process could become significantly more complicated if American officials decline to release the material informally.
READ MORE: Epstein victims’ fury as THREE MILLION files remain unpublishedREAD MORE: Peter Mandelson ‘drove a wedge between paedo Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew’
In that event, British authorities would be required to submit a formal mutual legal assistance (MLA) request under the legal framework governing cooperation between the UK and the US. It would mirror the approach previously taken by American prosecutors when they lodged an MLA request seeking to interview the disgraced former Duke of York – a request that ultimately went unanswered.
Sir Mark is understood to have raised the issue of obtaining the unredacted documents during a meeting with the US ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens, last month. The Metropolitan Police commissioner is expected to press the matter further during meetings with American counterparts in the coming days.
The allegations involving Mountbatten-Windsor are being examined by Thames Valley Police, while the investigation into Mandelson is being conducted by Scotland Yard. Both men are accused of misconduct in public office; a serious offence that can carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Pressure to release the full correspondence intensified after the partial publication of the Epstein files triggered a backlash from lawyers representing victims of the financier.
Last month it emerged that although the names of some individuals had been redacted, large sections of emails containing victims’ names and personal contact details remained visible in the documents that were released. Jennifer Plotkin, of Merson Law, which represented more than 40 victims, said many of her clients had been affected by what she described as the “US government’s mishandling of the Epstein files release”.
She said Epstein’s connections with prominent figures – such as Mandelson – raised troubling questions about how those relationships intersected with power and influence. Investigators are examining suggestions contained within the files that Mandelson shared market-sensitive government information with Epstein while serving as business secretary.
One document from 2009, during the height of the global financial crisis, appeared to show Mandelson forwarding Epstein a memo by Nick Butler, a senior adviser to then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The memo suggested that the government should consider selling state assets to reduce the national debt accumulated after the bailout of Britain’s banking sector, and also appeared to refer to possible tax cuts.
In another exchange, Mandelson appeared to forward an email sent to Mr Brown’s secret Downing Street email address by Baroness Vadera, who at the time served as a minister and was one of his closest economic advisers.
A third email, sent days before Labour’s defeat in the 2010 general election, suggested Mandelson confirmed details of a planned €500 billion (£432 billion) bailout for the eurozone, writing to Epstein that it “Sd [CORR] be announced tonight”. Mandelson denies any wrongdoing and maintains he did not act for any financial gain.
The correspondence also suggests the relationship between the two men extended beyond official matters.
In a series of emails exchanged in August 2009, Mandelson appeared to discuss personal and romantic difficulties.
Epstein replied with a light-hearted message suggesting he could intervene. “how can i help should i performa sipritual intervention.. I could hang upside down outside the window and make spooky noises and then leave a message in code in his cereal.” He also offered advice about Mandelson’s appearance.
Mountbatten-Windsor is being investigated in connection with his role as a government trade envoy. Official guidance states that trade envoys must maintain strict confidentiality regarding sensitive commercial and political information obtained during official visits.
According to the Epstein files, Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to forward official reports from trips to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam in 2010 and 2011. He denies any wrongdoing.
Last week, the first photograph showing Andrew, Mandelson and Epstein together was published after being uncovered in the files. The image shows the three men sitting around a wooden table holding mugs decorated with the American flag, while Andrew and Mandelson appear to be wearing bathrobes.
