The former ambassador to the US was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers at his home in Camden at 4:30pm this afternoon on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

It comes weeks after documents released by the US Department of Justice show extensive communication between Peter Mandelson and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein including emails from the late 2000s in which Mandelson appeared to pass on confidential information whilst serving in Gordon Brown’s government.

Previously on 6th February police began property searches of Mandelson’s homes after the close nature of the former minister’s close ties to Epstein was revealed.

Mandelson has previously denied any wrongdoing, stating he was not motivated by financial gain and committed no criminal acts.

The implications of the scandal has seen Mandelson resign from the House of Lords as well from the Labour Party and all government positions.

Earlier this month Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer held firm after calls from critics, some within his own party, for him to step down after appointing Mandelson to his position of US ambassador despite known Epstein links.

Peter Mandelson is long standing British Labour politician, closely associated with Tony Blair as one of the architects of "New Labour".

Before his position as ambassador to the US he had previously served as Secretary of State for Business, European Commissioner for Trade and as First Secretary of State under Gordon Brown.

News of his arrest comes just days after the arrest of Andrew Windsor Mountbatten under suspicion of the same crime whilst serving as Trade Envoy between 2001-2011.

Both men were known associates of Jeffrey Epstein.

There is yet to be an official statement by a representative of Mandelson.