Starmer to face questions in Commons for first time since Mandelson arrest

Sir 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 ambassador to Washington was arrested on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released on bail.

Lord Mandelson, who has been accused of passing sensitive information onto paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary, has been bailed until May.

Lawyers for the former Labour minister have claimed he was arrested despite an agreement to speak to police voluntarily after someone made a “baseless suggestion” to the Metropolitan Police that he was planning to leave the country.

They said: “There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in any such suggestion.

“We have asked the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) for the evidence relied upon to justify the arrest.

“Peter Mandelson’s overriding priority is to co-operate with the police investigation, as he has done throughout this process, and to clear his name.”

The Metropolitan Police declined to comment beyond their statement issued just after 2am on Tuesday, which read: “A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation.”

Emails from 2009, released as part of the so-called Epstein files, appear to show Lord Mandelson pass on an assessment by Gordon Brown’s adviser of potential policy measures including an “asset sales plan”.

He also appeared to discuss a tax on bankers’ bonuses and confirm an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced in 2010.

The emails appeared to be sent to Epstein after he became a convicted sex offender.

Lord Mandelson was taken into custody after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest last week, also on suspicion of misconduct in public office, after allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as the UK’s trade envoy.

MPs have backed the release of files related to Andrew’s appointment as a special representative for trade and investment, a post he held between 2001 and 2011.

The Government agreed but warned it would be unable to publish material that police need for their inquiries until officers are “satisfied”.

And one of Sir Keir’s ministers took aim at Andrew in the Commons on Tuesday, calling him a “rude, arrogant and entitled man” who was on a “constant self-aggrandising and self-enriching hustle”.

Andrew spent 11 hours in custody after his arrest on his 66th birthday.

Police confirmed on Tuesday night they had completed searches at Andrew’s former home, Royal Lodge.

Andrew has denied any wrongdoing over his links to convicted sex offender Epstein, but has not directly responded to the latest allegations.