Peter Mandelson was arrested despite an agreement to attend a voluntary police interview, his lawyers have said. The arrest followed claims he planned to leave the country, which his legal team says are completely untrue
Peter Mandelson was taken into custody following “baseless” allegations that he intended to leave the country, according to his legal team.
In a statement, his solicitors at Mishcon de Reya said: “Peter Mandelson was arrested yesterday despite an agreement with the police that he would attend an interview next month on a voluntary basis. The arrest was prompted by a baseless suggestion that he was planning to leave the country and take up permanent residence abroad.
“There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in any such suggestion. We have asked the MPS for the evidence relied upon to justify the arrest. Peter Mandelson’s overriding priority is to cooperate with the police investigation, as he has done throughout this process, and to clear his name,” reports the Mirror.
It comes as Ministers have promised to release files related to shamed Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s role as Trade Envoy.
Labour grandee Mandy was released on bail by the Metropolitan Police this morning after his arrest on Monday (February 23) on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The force launched an investigation earlier this month over allegations that, while he was serving as a government minister, Lord Mandelson had passed on market-sensitive government information to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Last week, Andrew was also quizzed by cops on similar reasons amid claims in the Epstein files he handed over confidential information to the paedo financier while working as a government trade envoy.
Plans to release documents about Mandy’s later appointment as US ambassador have not been disrupted by the peer’s arrest on Monday, according to cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson.
She signalled the Government still plans to release documents about Lord Mandelson’s appointment in early March, a move announced in the House of Commons on Monday just before the peer was arrested.
Asked whether the Government still expected to go ahead with its plans to publish documents amid the police investigation, Education Secretary Ms Phillipson said: “My understanding is yes, but we do just need to be mindful of any documents we publish given the nature of the ongoing police investigation.
“So, we want to be transparent, we do want to push ahead with publishing documents, but we just need to make sure that nothing that’s published could compromise or call into question an ongoing police investigation.”
Ministers have also agreed to release files related to the appointment of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to the trade envoy role, as the former prince was described as “a rude, arrogant and entitled man”.
However, MPs were told the Government is unable to publish material that police need for their inquiries until officers are “satisfied”.
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