London’s Metropolitan Police has arrested the former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid heightened scrutiny related to his relation with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The veteran Labour Party politician’s arrest comes after he was fired by the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer from his ambassador role in September 2025.
Mandelson is accused of passing market-sensitive information to Epstein while serving as a business secretary in the U.K. government.
According to the police, the 72-year-old politician and diplomat was arrested from an address in Camden on Monday, February 23, 2026.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said, “The detained individual has been taken to a London police station for an interview. This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”
Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords earlier this month following the release of the latest tranche of investigation files related to Epstein by the United States (U.S.) Department of Justice (DOJ).
Starmer has also faced calls to resign due to his close ties with Mandelson, whom he appointed ambassador to the U.S. in December 2024.
Several senior officials, including PM Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned on February 8, 2026, following the scandal over Peter Mandelson’s appointment.
