Police search two properties as part of Peter Mandelson investigation

The Metropolitan Police are searching two properties linked to Lord Peter Mandelson as part of their investigation into the peer for alleged misconduct in public office.

It comes after the Met confirmed it was investigating him over allegations relating to files appearing to show him sharing government information with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during the financial crash.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart, of the Metropolitan Police, said in a statement: “I can confirm that officers from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime team are in the process of carrying out search warrants at two addresses, one in the Wiltshire area, and another in the Camden area.

“The searches are related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences, involving a 72-year-old man.

“He has not been arrested and inquiries are ongoing.”

Several people believed to be police officers entered Lord Mandelson’s house near Regent’s Park in central London on Friday afternoon.

One of them appeared to be wearing a small body camera and the officers later brought a blue box and large bag into the house.

Documents released as part of the so-called Epstein files led to allegations that while Lord Mandelson was business secretary following the 2008 financial crisis, he passed on market-sensitive information to the sex offender.

Lord Mandelson has yet to speak publicly, but the BBC said it understood he maintains he did not act criminally and that his actions were not for personal gain.

The former Labour grandee has quit his party and stood down from the House of Lords amid the allegations.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has come under increasing pressure over his decision to make him Britain’s ambassador to the US.

In a speech on Thursday, Sir Keir defended his handling of the Mandelson affair, accusing the peer of lying during his vetting for the US ambassador job and offering an apology to Epstein’s victims for believing his “lies”.

He also insisted “none of us knew the depth of the darkness” of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein when he was appointed.

The extent of what was known about the relationship is expected to be revealed when documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment are published following a motion in Parliament demanding their release.

Publication of the full tranche of documents could take some time, as Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee must review any items that the Government wishes to withhold for national security reasons.

The Metropolitan Police has also asked for some documents to be withheld, claiming it could jeopardise its criminal investigation.

Sir Keir is also facing calls to sack his most senior adviser, Morgan McSweeney, from Labour MPs who blame the Downing Street chief of staff for pushing for Lord Mandelson to be made the UK’s top diplomat in Washington.