Lord Mandelson ‘to face criminal investigation amid Epstein scandal’

A criminal investigation has been launched into allegations that Lord Peter Mandelson passed market-sensitive information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, the Press Association understands.

Files released by the US Department of Justice apparently showed Lord Mandelson passing material to Epstein while serving as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Labour administration as it dealt with the 2008 financial crash and its aftermath.

The Cabinet Office had passed material to the police after an initial review of documents released as part of the so-called Epstein files found they contained “likely market-sensitive information” and official handling safeguards had been “compromised”.

The Metropolitan Police is expected to announce on Tuesday evening that Lord Mandelson is being investigated on suspicion of misconduct in public office, the Times reported.

Lord Mandelson is to quit the House of Lords on Wednesday, the Lord Speaker said earlier on Tuesday.

Gordon Brown writes to Met Police chief

Gordon Brown has written to the chief of the Metropolitan Police to provide information relating to Lord Mandelson’s alleged disclosure of market-sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein.

Former prime minister Brown on Tuesday said he had written to Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley with “relevant” information relating to Lord Mandelson’s “inexcusable and unpatriotic act”.

Brown said he had shared with the police 2025 correspondence between him and Chris Wormald, the cabinet secretary, including his request for the examination of communication about the sale of assets between Lord Mandelson and Epstein last September, following an earlier release of documents relating to the sex offender.

Newly released emails from 2009 appeared to show Lord Mandelson – who is to step down from the House of Lords amid the scandal – share sensitive information on at least four occasions.

In a statement to the Press Association, Brown said: “I have today written to the Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, with information relevant to his investigation of Lord Mandelson’s disclosure of market sensitive and confidential Government information to the American financier, Jeffrey Epstein, an inexcusable and unpatriotic act at a time when the whole government and country were attempting to address the global financial crisis that was damaging so many livelihoods.

“I have sent Sir Mark correspondence, exchanged between myself and the Cabinet Secretary last year, and I have also passed over information arising from it that may be important in his current investigation.

“I have included the letter I sent in September 2025 asking the Cabinet Secretary to investigate the veracity of information contained in the Epstein papers regarding the sale of assets arising from the banking collapse and communications about them between Lord Mandelson and Mr Epstein.

“I have also included the November 2026 (sic) response from the cabinet secretary who said about this that ‘no records of information or correspondence from Lord Mandelson’s mailbox’ could be found.

“Having drawn their attention to relevant evidence, the matter now rests in the hands of the police.”

The Met is currently assessing information relating to alleged misconduct in public office to determine whether it meets the threshold for investigation.

The Cabinet Office has also passed material to the police after an initial review of documents released as part of the Epstein files found they contained “likely market-sensitive information” and official handling safeguards had been “compromised”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters earlier on Tuesday that the Cabinet Secretary “did respond to Gordon Brown’s letter last year,” which “asked specifically about the sale of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) assets to JP Morgan and the potential involvement of Jeffrey Epstein in that sale”.

The official added: “His letter made no reference to any other transactions or discussions released in the Epstein files.

“The Cabinet Secretary responded to him in November, setting out that searches of official records didn’t find any files linking Mr Epstein to RBS and the asset sale.”

Asked whether Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was aware, his spokesman said: “In terms of that matter, I understand it was handled by the Cabinet Secretary.”

The wider new investigation ordered by the Prime Minister will look at all evidence relating to Lord Mandelson’s contact with Epstein during his time in office.

In one 2009 email sent to Epstein while he was serving a jail sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor, then-business secretary Lord Mandelson forwarded what he called an “interesting note that’s gone to the PM” – an assessment by Mr Brown’s adviser Nick Butler of potential policy measures including an “asset sales plan” in order to reduce the country’s debt.

Brown’s government announced a sell-off of £16 billion worth of assets, including the Dartford Crossing, just months later.

Another was analysis of business lending in August 2009 drawn up by government minister Baroness Vadera.

The sender of the email to Epstein has been redacted, but Lord Mandelson was involved in the discussions.

Hours before Mr Brown’s resignation as Labour leader, Lord Mandelson appeared to tell Epstein he “finally got him to go today”.