Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said he passed information to the Metropolitan Police about Lord Peter Mandelson, after the peer claimed “baseless suggestions” he was a flight risk had led to his arrest this week.
The former ambassador to Washington was arrested on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released on bail.
Lawyers for the former Labour minister claimed he had been arrested – despite an agreement to speak to police voluntarily – after someone told the Metropolitan Police he was planning to leave the country.
The Times reported that the speaker, who visited the British Virgin Islands last week, was told by a local source that the former US ambassador had been planning to flee to the British overseas territory – information he is then said to have passed on to the police.
Detectives then reportedly interviewed Sir Lindsay’s source before arresting Lord Mandelson on Monday evening on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The peer’s lawyers said the report to the Metropolitan Police that he was planning to leave the country was a “baseless suggestion”.
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.”
Making a statement to the Commons in the wake of the reports, Sir Lindsay confirmed that he passed on information regarding Lord Mandelson to the Metropolitan Police “in good faith”.
He said: “Members will be aware of comments in the media regarding the arrest of Lord Mandelson.
“To prevent any inaccurate speculation, I’d like to confirm that upon receipt of information, that I felt it was relevant I pass this on to the Metropolitan Police in good faith, as is my duty and responsibility.
“It is regrettable this rapidly ended in the media. As this is a live investigation, members will understand… it would not be appropriate to make any further comment, and I’d like to caution members from doing so.”
The former ambassador, who has been accused of passing sensitive information onto paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary, has been bailed until May.
He 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.
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.”
