Peter Mandelson was arrested after what his lawyers insist was a “baseless” suggestion that he was planning to flee to the British Virgin Islands.
The former Labour minister was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on Monday and later released on bail, following claims he had leaked sensitive government information to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The former peer’s law firm said there had been an agreement with police that he would be interviewed on a voluntary basis next month, but that had been hastily overturned.
In the statement issued on Tuesday evening, Mishcon de Reya said in a statement issued on Tuesday evening: “The arrest was prompted by a baseless suggestion that he was planning to leave the country and take up permanent residence abroad.”
On the News Agents podcast, Emily Maitlis read out details from a message she said had been sent from Lord Mandelson to a fellow journalist. In it, he said that “police arrested me because they claimed the Lord Speaker received information that I was about to flee to the British Virgin Islands,” and described this as “complete fiction”.
However, Lord Speaker Lord Forsyth of Drumlean said the accusation was “entirely false”.
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Key Points
- Mandelson arrest sparked by ‘baseless’ claim he planned to flee to BVI, lawyers say
- Lord Speaker denies claim he received information relating to Mandelson's movements
- Starmer to face questions in Commons for first time since Mandelson arrest
- Energy secretary claims fall in price cap is because of budget
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The former prime minister issued a stark warning over Nigel Farage’s party, claiming they would “force children back into poverty" as a result of their plan to reinstate the two child benefit cap.
The two-child benefit cap, imposed by Tory former chancellor George Osborne, prevents parents from claiming benefits for any third or subsequent child born after April 2017.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Gordon Brown warns Nigel Farage will drag UK back into ‘Tory poverty years’
Trump vows to keep tariffs
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Energy secretary claims fall in price cap is because of budget
08:11 , Tara CobhamPolitical correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
The energy secretary has claimed that the drop in the energy price cap has come as a result of "the actions we took in the budget", but admitted that the government knows it has "got further to go".
The price most households pay for energy will fall by 7 per cent from 1 April, driven by the government’s promised £150 cut to the average bill, Ofgem said.
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Starmer to face questions in Commons for first time since Mandelson arrest
08:08 , Tara CobhamSir Keir Starmer is set to face questions from MPs in the Commons for the first time since the arrest of Lord Peter Mandelson.
The former Labour minister was arrested on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released on bail, following accusations he passed sensitive information onto paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The prime minister has come under mounting scrutiny over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington
Lord Speaker denies claim he received information relating to Mandelson's movements
08:00 , Tara CobhamLord Speaker Lord Forsyth of Drumlean did not receive information relating to Lord Mandelson’s movements, his spokesperson has said.
It comes as Lord Mandelson’s lawyer claimed his arrest was prompted by “baseless” claims he was planning to leave the country.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Lord Speaker said: “Any suggestion at all that the Lord Speaker received information about Lord Mandelson’s movements or communicated any such information to the Metropolitan Police Service, is entirely false and without foundation.”
Mandelson arrest sparked by ‘baseless’ claim he planned to flee to BVI, lawyers say
07:58 , Tara CobhamLord Peter Mandelson’s arrest for misconduct in public office was prompted by “baseless” claims he was planning to leave the country, his lawyers have said.
The former cabinet minister was arrested on Monday and later released on bail.
His law firm Mishcon de Reya said in a statement issued on Tuesday evening: “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.”
In comments cited by other media, Lord Mandelson is said to have told friends he had agreed with police to come in for a voluntary interview but that he was then arrested because police suspected he might flee.
On the News Agents podcast, Emily Maitlis read out details from a message she said had been sent from Lord Mandelson to a fellow journalist.
In it, he said that “police arrested me because they claimed the Lord Speaker received information that I was about to flee to the British Virgin Islands,” and described this as “complete fiction”.
Lord Speaker Lord Forsyth of Drumlean said the accusation was “entirely false”.
A spokesperson for the Lord Speaker said: “Any suggestion at all that the Lord Speaker received information about Lord Mandelson’s movements or communicated any such information to the Metropolitan Police Service, is entirely false and without foundation.”
