Fears are growing that the police investigation into whether Lord Peter Mandelson shared confidential information with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein may be hindered by the lack of access to unredacted Epstein files from the US authorities.
The Metropolitan Police investigation into the former foreign secretary has reportedly stalled, with neither the Department of Justice nor the FBI agreeing to requests for the documents. The Met initially made the request under an informal agreement to share information between law enforcement agencies, but later escalated it to a formal request for mutual legal assistance (MLA).
The MLA process could take up to a year to access the documents, and there is no guarantee that the DoJ will release them. The Met is investigating claims that Lord Mandelson passed on market-sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary. The 72-year-old has previously denied any wrongdoing and was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on 23 February, with his properties searched.
The investigation followed a tip-off from Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, that Lord Mandelson could flee to the British Virgin Islands. Scotland Yard previously confirmed it was seeking further details from law enforcement partners, including in the US. However, it is now feared that the investigation could eventually collapse without access to the unredacted documents.
Reports suggest that the Trump administration is hesitant to hand over any files that could cause damage to the president’s reputation or risk future scandals. US officials have insisted they are simply following established legal procedures. A DoJ spokesperson stated that the Department of Justice has not refused to assist any jurisdiction investigating potential criminal conduct related to Jeffrey Epstein, and that both US and UK authorities follow established procedures for sharing information and evidence.
The Metropolitan Police declined to comment on the matter.
