00:00Well, there's been another high-profile arrest in the U.K. related to the Epstein files.
00:05Former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was taken into custody late this Monday.
00:10Police say his arrest is related to misconduct probe over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein.
00:16Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed the labor veteran as the U.K.'s ambassador in Washington in late 2024.
00:22This follows last week's arrest of former Prince Andrew in connection with his ties to the late sex offender.
00:28For more on this, I'm joined on set by our international affairs editor, Angela Diffley.
00:33So, Angela, we know that Mandelson maintained a friendship with Epstein even after his conviction.
00:39What do we know about the allegations of misconduct against him?
00:43We should stress that he, until now, has denied anything unlawful and he hasn't been charged with anything yet.
00:51But these allegations relate, we think, to the period when he was business secretary, so a member of the British
01:01cabinet, around the time of the financial crisis.
01:04And the latest tranche of documents, the Epstein files that were released a few weeks back, showed that, or appeared
01:15to show, that he had leaked market-sensitive information, confidential information, while he was business secretary.
01:22After discussing things in cabinet, immediately, it appears, emailed Jeffrey Epstein with that.
01:29Also leaked, it appears, information on Labour's proposals for tax policy before they should have been widely known.
01:38He also, it appears, lobbied for a change amongst his colleagues, for a change in a proposed policy over bankers'
01:48bonuses, that at the request of Jeffrey Epstein.
01:51That's what the emails would appear to show.
01:54He, of course, denies any wrongdoing.
01:56And this, while the emails also appear to show, that he received about $75,000 from Jeffrey Epstein.
02:05It looks as though he was repaying Epstein with information and that he had become financially, in some ways, dependent
02:13on Jeffrey Epstein.
02:15He denies all of this, of course.
02:16It's really important to stress what a huge figure Peter Mandelson is in British politics.
02:22He was the behind-the-scenes man, the architect, if you like, of New Labour and that momentous time back
02:30in 1997, when young, charismatic Tony Blair came to power.
02:35And he, throughout the time after that, played a significant role, sometimes being an MP, sometimes in the back rooms,
02:46sometimes in business, out of politics.
02:48But he was always in the background.
02:50And the person who has been particularly, it appears, feels betrayed by all of this is former UK Prime Minister
02:57Gordon Brown, who has a real reputation in Britain for probity, for utter decency and following the rules in public
03:08life and morality.
03:09He has been scouring the Epstein files and supplying what he thinks is useful information to various police forces in
03:18Britain because he appears to feel so betrayed by what happened to him.
03:22Peter Mandelson, a huge figure, and of course, very importantly, he was appointed as ambassador to the United States, UK
03:32ambassador to the United States, before being sacked in the middle of the night by Keir Starmer last year, when
03:40some of this began to emerge.
03:42But since then, a lot more has emerged.
03:45I know there have been calls on Keir Starmer to step down in connection with this scandal having to do
03:50with Mandelson.
03:51What will be the impact on Keir Starmer?
03:54Well, again, you know, they're going to be huge questions around Keir Starmer's judgment because Peter Mandelson also had a
04:01reputation as the Prince of Darkness.
04:04That was his kind of nickname.
04:05He had had numerous near misses brushes with morality in terms of financial transactions.
04:14He had never been convicted or even tried of anything, but he had a not spotless reputation.
04:23But the feeling was, and particularly Starmer was advised by some key advisors who've now resigned in the wake of
04:31all of this, that it was worth it.
04:33Peter Mandelson, because of all of this, in a way, was seen as someone who knew how to operate, who
04:38had a vast network of contacts, who could work successfully for Britain's interests in the Donald Trump world in the
04:46United States.
04:46And it appears that Starmer agreed to that.
04:50And now his judgment is really being called into question.
04:52There's also suggestions that the vetting process was speeded up, that it wasn't properly done.
04:58Starmer said when all this emerged a few weeks back, you know, he lied to me.
05:02A lot of people are saying, well, you know, just how curious were you?
05:05Didn't you investigate this thing a bit better?
05:07So all of this, again, it will get worse because next week the government is obliged to release documents which
05:14will show emails between Keir Starmer and Mandelson and various other people.
05:19There is likely to be a lot more that comes out about this.
05:23It mostly reflects on Keir Starmer's judgment.
05:26So far as we know, nothing more than that.
05:28But it's very, very difficult for him.
05:31As to whether he'll be toppled, what happened before a few weeks ago when he was very nearly toppled by
05:37his own party because of what was perceived at best to be a lack of judgment, there is no obvious
05:43person to succeed him.
05:45If the time becomes right and some of those people who currently have difficulties in putting themselves forward because they
05:51have other entanglements, if the time becomes right and a successor feels ready to stand and put themselves forward, he
05:59could go in the coming months.
06:01It depends really on whether a successor looks likely.
06:05For the moment, it doesn't and he should survive it.
06:08OK, we'll have to leave it there.
06:09Our international affairs editor, Angela Diffley.
06:11Angela, thank you.
06:12Thank you for your analysis on that.
06:14Thanks.
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