Met commissioner ‘pressing US counterparts for access to unredacted Epstein files’ for Mandelson probe
Britain’s top police officer is pressing US authorities to share unredacted versions of the Epstein files, as the Metropolitan Police investigates allegations that Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive information to the late pedophile.
Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is said to have asked US ambassador Warren Stephens last month for all documents relating to his peer, who was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
According to reports, Sir Mark is expected to push US officials even further during his visit to Washington this week.
Police are investigating his Labor colleague on suspicion of misconduct in public office, while Thames Valley Police are carrying out a separate investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor for the same alleged offence.
Both men were arrested and released on bail last month after the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released 3 million documents related to the late billionaire.
However, some information in the posts was redacted to protect victims and prevent ongoing investigations from being compromised.
The Met confirmed it was actively seeking further details from law enforcement partners, including the US.
It is feared that if American officials refuse to cooperate, formal requests for the emails will have to be submitted under a legal agreement between the US and Britain.
Access to documents under the formal process called a mutual legal assistance (MLA) request can take up to a year, and there is no guarantee that the Justice Department will release them.
The Met is investigating allegations that Lord Mandelson passed sensitive market information to Epstein when he was business secretary. The 72-year-old, who was sacked as US ambassador last year and resigned from the House of Lords in February, has previously denied any wrongdoing.
2009 emails published in the Epstein files led to allegations that Lord Mandelson had forwarded an assessment of potential policy measures by an adviser to then prime minister Gordon Brown.
Police searched two of Lord Mandelson’s properties in connection with the investigation.
In a statement last month, the Met said: “Officers arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday (February 23) and taken to London police station for questioning.”
“It’s like this [the execution of] “There are search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”
Sir Keir Starmer faced a huge backlash over his decision to appoint Labor’s ambassador to the key diplomatic role, even though he remained friendly with Epstein after he was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008. Morgan McSweeney has quit her job as Sir Keir’s private secretary over the scandal.
The first set of documents released last week into the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson revealed that the prime minister was warned there was a “general reputational risk” due to his friendship with Epstein.
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor is being investigated separately by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office during his role as UK trade envoy.
The Crown was photographed leaving a police station in Aylsham, Norfolk, on February 19 after being released under investigation following a day-long questioning.
Last week the first known photo of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, Epstein and Lord Mandelson together was revealed.
According to ITV News, a photograph believed to have been taken between 1999 and 2000 in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, showed men wearing bathrobes and drinking from mugs printed with the US flag around a table.
In 2020, US authorities sent an MLA to the Home Office requesting the assistance of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, an alleged witness to Epstein’s crime.
