Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle reveals HE tipped off cops that Mandelson could flee UK… as Labour grandee dismisses claim as ‘fiction’ but ‘has passport confiscated’

The Epstein scandal took another strange turn today, as the Speaker of the House of Commons revealed that he was the person who tipped off the police that Lord Mandelson might flee the UK.

Lindsay Hoyle told MPs she passed information to Scotland Yard that led to the dramatic arrest of New Labor’s architect at his home on Monday afternoon.

Lord Mandelson lashed out at the police for being caught up in ‘pure fiction’, stating that she was cooperating fully with the investigation and that she would leave her husband Reinaldo and her beloved dog Jock.

Sir Lindsay told the House of Representatives this morning that he had disclosed his involvement to avoid ‘false speculation’ after his Lordships counterpart was accused of whistleblowing.

Police allegedly mistakenly claimed during a meeting with Lord Mandelson that his source was the Lord Speaker, who presides over the upper house.

Sir Lindsay said he had received ‘relevant’ information and had alerted police ‘in good faith’. He added that it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Sir Lindsay visited the British Virgin Islands during the House of Commons recess last week – apparently after police were told Lord Mandelson was planning to escape.

Lord Mandelson’s lawyers have demanded the Met give evidence about the ‘unfounded suggestion’, with a discreet interview scheduled for next month.

Sources close to the investigation said officers believed the information came from a reputable source and there were “strong operational reasons” for the arrest.

Detectives decided to impose bail conditions, including a ban on travel outside the country. The BBC reported that Lord Mandelson’s passport was seized.

Speaker Lindsay Hoyle told the House this morning that she had clarified the situation to avoid ‘false speculation’ after the Lord Speaker was accused of passing on the tip.

Lord Advocate Lord Forsyth last night vehemently denied it was he who tipped off the police, fueling the mystery

Lord Mandelson was detained for nearly nine hours on Monday after his arrest on suspicion of abuse of public office.

The News Agencies podcast reported yesterday that police took action after the Lord Advocate reported hearing that Lord Mandelson was planning to travel to the British Virgin Islands.

However, this caused confusion as Lord Forsyth’s spokesman publicly denied any involvement.

‘Any allegation that the Lord Advocate received information about Lord Mandelson’s movements or passed such information to the Metropolitan Police Service is completely false and unfounded,’ the spokesman said.

Lord Mandelson denied any wrongdoing or acting for personal gain in his dealings with Epstein.

Sir Lindsay said today: ‘Members will be aware of the comments in the media about Lord Mandelson’s arrest.

‘To avoid any false speculation, I would like to confirm that after receiving information I feel this is relevant and it is my duty and responsibility to refer this to the Metropolitan Police in good faith.

‘It’s a shame that this ended so quickly in the media.

‘As this is a live investigation members will understand… it would be inappropriate to comment further and I would caution members not to do so.’

A few weeks ago detectives agreed with Lord Mandelson’s lawyers that he could voluntarily attend a discreet interview at a central London police station next month over allegations he passed secret government information to paedophiles while he was business secretary.

But over the weekend the force received intelligence suggesting the former minister known as the Prince of Darkness was planning to travel abroad soon.

On Monday morning detectives were so alarmed by claims that Lord Mandelson was preparing to flee the country that three officers rushed to arrest him at his £7.6 million Regent’s Park home.

The pale-faced peer was later photographed being led away by officers at 4.30pm, visibly stunned by a sudden knock on the door.

The unusual timing of the arrest raised questions, as crime suspects are often arrested in early morning raids.

Scotland Yard said only that there were ‘strong operational reasons’.

But hours later Lord Mandelson’s lawyers, Mishcon de Reya, issued a statement accusing the police of deceiving them with a ‘baseless suggestion’.

A spokesman for the law firm said: ‘Peter Mandelson was arrested yesterday despite an agreement with police that he would voluntarily attend an interview next month.

‘The arrest was made due to an unfounded allegation that he was planning to leave the country and take up permanent residence abroad.

‘There is absolutely no truth to such a suggestion. We asked the Metropolitan Police Service about the evidence relied on to justify the arrest. Peter Mandelson’s top priority is to cooperate with the police investigation and clear his name, as he has done throughout this process.’

Lord Mandelson reportedly told friends shortly after his release that he had been the victim of “a complete fiction” following nine hours of interrogation.

He said: ‘Despite an earlier agreement between the police and the legal team for a voluntary meeting at the beginning of March, the police arrested me because they claimed I was about to flee to the British Virgin Islands and take up permanent residence abroad, leaving Reinaldo, my family, my home and Jock behind.

‘I don’t need to say it’s a complete fiction. Just today the police were told they had to make an impromptu arrest. The question is, who or what is behind this?’

In this photo, Lord Mandelson is standing in white underwear, talking to a woman in a bathrobe

Peter Mandelson (left) with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels in 2007

Lord Mandelson He is accused of sending sensitive market information to the pedophile financier, who served as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government during the financial crisis.

Documents released by the US Department of Justice suggest that information about potential policy measures, including an ‘asset sale plan’, a tax on bankers’ bonuses and a bailout of the euro, was leaked the day before it was announced in 2010.

It was revealed that the emails were sent after Epstein became a sex offender.

There was speculation on Tuesday that the unusual public statement from Lord Mandelson’s lawyers could turn into a wider complaint about the unfairness of his treatment at the police, giving rise to arguments that Lord Mandelson would not receive a fair trial in any prosecution.

Last week, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by Thames Valley Police on the same charge of misconduct in public office over allegations he passed similarly sensitive information to Epstein while he was Britain’s trade envoy.

But rather than being asked to comply with any bail conditions, the former Duke of York was released under police investigation.

Police bail can only be granted for three months before officers must apply for leave to extend it.

In contrast, there is no similar time limit for a suspect ‘released under investigation’.

On Tuesday the Metropolitan Police refused to comment on the altercation.

But the force has shown no signs of backing down on the need for bail conditions; He merely repeated his initial statements that ‘a 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of abusing public office has been released on bail pending further investigation’.

Lord Mandelson was released on bail until May.