Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle 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.
In a statement in Parliament on Wednesday morning, Sir Lindsay said he wanted to confirm media reports that he was the source of the information, which Lord Mandelson claims was the reason for his arrest, to “prevent any inaccurate speculation”.
The Times reported that Hoyle told officers he had been informed the peer was allegedly planning to flee Britain for the British Virgin Islands.
Sir Lindsay did not confirm what information he had passed to the police in his statement, but referenced “comments in the media regarding the arrest of Lord Mandelson”.
The statement 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.”
Lawyers working for Mandelson said on Tuesday that his arrest was “prompted by a baseless suggestion that he was planning to leave the country and take up permanent residence abroad”.
“There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in any such suggestion. We have asked the MPS for the evidence relied upon to justify the arrest,” they said.
“Peter Mandelson’s overriding priority is to cooperate with the police investigation, as he has done throughout this process, and to clear his name.”
ITV News has reached out to the Metropolitan Police for comment.
Lord Mandelson was released on bail in the early hours of Tuesday after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The former Labour minister has been accused of passing highly sensitive government information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary under former prime minister Gordon Brown.
Lord Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador in September after Downing Street said fresh revelations about his relationship with Epstein had emerged.
He resigned from the House of Lords earlier this month, following the release of the so-called Epstein files. However, due to parliamentary procedure, he retains his title.
Lord Mandelson has not publicly commented in recent weeks on the Epstein files. According to the BBC, he is understood to believe he has not committed any offence.
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