Epstein files: Police reviewing misconduct claims after Mandelson accused of leaking sensitive information

Sir Keir Starmer is set to chair a cabinet meeting today as police assess allegations his former US ambassador Lord Mandelson leaked sensitive information from the heart of government to Jeffrey Epstein.

The Met are investigating allegations of misconduct in public office after emails appeared to show conversations between the ex-cabinet minister and paedophile financier about political matters, while the former was serving as business secretary in Gordon Brown's government back in 2009.

Ella Marriott, commander of the Met, said: "The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation."

Tap here for the latest on the Epstein files

The messages were revealed as part of the latest tranche of Epstein files released by the US Justice Department.

Sir Keir, who sacked Mandelson as the government's Washington ambassador last year over his ties to the billionaire, has called on Lord Mandelson to quit the House of Lords and testify to an inquiry by the US Congress.

The prime minister has suggested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should also give evidence.

Late last night, it was announced Bill and Hillary Clinton had agreed to testify. They hope doing so will set "a precedent that applies to everyone", the former president's deputy chief of staff said.

Being named in the Epstein files is not a sign of wrongdoing, and Lord Mandelson, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and the Clintons have all expressed regret about their past ties to the paedophile.

Lord Mandelson has not responded to the latest allegations. However, in an interview with The Times carried out last week but published on Monday, he referred to a "handful of misguided historical emails, which I deeply regret sending", and described Epstein as "muck that you can't get off your shoe".

What are the latest Mandelson claims?

In the latest tranche of Epstein files released by the US Justice Department, emails appear to show Lord Mandelson giving Epstein advance notice of a €500bn EU bank bailout in 2010.

Mandelson was emailed by Epstein, who wrote: "Sources tell me 500 b euro bailout , almost complete (sic)."

He then appears to reply: "Sd be announced tonight".

Epstein then asks if he is home, to which Mandleson replies: "Just leaving No10... will call".

The €500bn deal was approved the next day by European governments as they tried to pull the currency through the 2010 "Eurozone" crisis - where countries such as Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Cyprus were unable to repay or refinance their government debt.

The UK did not contribute to the bailout. However, the then chancellor Alistair Darling was present in Brussels for the negotiations.

Read more on this story:
Sarah Ferguson's charity to close

Other emails appear to show Lord Mandelson telling Epstein he was "trying hard" to change government policy on bankers' bonuses at his request, months after the convicted sex trafficker had paid tens of thousands of pounds to the peer's husband.

The emails came at the time the so-called "super tax" was being introduced by Mr Darling to clamp down on bank profits being used to pay large bonuses for bankers after the financial crisis.

One discussion indicates Lord Mandelson encouraged JP Morgan's boss Jamie Dimon to call Mr Darling and "mildly threaten" him.

Separately, the peer also appeared to write to Epstein in June 2009 about an "interesting note that's gone to the PM", forwarding an assessment by Mr Brown's adviser Nick Butler of potential policy measures including an "asset sales plan".

Mr Brown condemned the "wholly unacceptable disclosure of government papers and information during the period when the country was battling the global financial crisis", and said he had asked the Cabinet Office to investigate.

Pressure over peerage

Sir Keir Starmer has asked Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald - the UK's most senior civil servant - to "urgently" review all available information on contact between Lord Mandelson and Epstein.

The prime minister's spokesperson also said Sir Keir believed Lord Mandelson "should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title".

However, the government does not have the power to strip him of his peerage, and wants to work with the Lords to modernise disciplinary procedures to make it easier to remove disgraced peers.

Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, said the government was writing to the appropriate authorities to start the process.

Sky News has approached representatives for Lord Mandelson for comment on the leaking of sensitive information claims.

In a statement about previous allegations, he said: "I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction, and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered."

What else have the files revealed?

Lord Mandelson was sacked as the ambassador to Washington last year after details emerged of his continued contact with the financier after Epstein's guilty plea in 2008 to soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor.

In files released over the weekend, bank statements from 2003 and 2004 appeared to show Lord Mandelson received payments totalling $75,000 (£54,000) from the financier, while he was the MP for Hartlepool.

Epstein is also said to have paid for an osteopathy course for Lord Mandelson's husband in 2009.

Lord Mandelson resigned his membership of the Labour Party on Sunday night. He denied any record or recollection of the payments, but said he did "not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party".

The New Labour grandee has also appeared in a picture found in the files wearing only his underwear and a t-shirt, which Sky News has confirmed was taken in Epstein's Paris flat.

A spokesperson for Lord Mandelson previously told Sky News: "No one can say who or where the photo was taken. Lord Mandelson has absolutely no idea or indeed whether it has any connection to Epstein at all."

(c) Sky News 2026: Epstein files: Police reviewing misconduct claims after Mandelson accused of leaking sensitive information