Peter Mandelson committed a “betrayal of his country” by allegedly leaking government secrets to Jeffrey Epstein and putting Britain “at risk”, former prime minister Gordon Brown has said.
Lord Mandelson, his ex-business secretary, has been accused of sharing market-sensitive information with the US sex offender after the 2008 global financial crisis.
Mr Brown has since been asked about how he felt about his former colleague’s behaviour, to which he replied he was “shocked, sad, angry, betrayed, let down”.
“All of the information he passed on… the papers by other advisers were commercially sensitive; this was financially secret information,” Mr Brown said.
“It meant that Britain was at risk because of that, the currency was at risk, some of the trading that would happen would be speculative as a result of that.
“There’s no doubt that huge commercial damage could have been done and perhaps was done.”
On Saturday afternoon, a top corporate and financial crime lawyer visited Lord Mandelson’s house near Regent’s Park, London.
Adrian Darbishire KC arrived at the property shortly before midday, before leaving around 90 minutes later.
Adrian Darbishire KC pictured outside Lord Mandelson’s home in London on Saturday. Pic: PA
Lord Mandelson’s representatives have been contacted for comment.
He has previously said: “I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction [in 2008 for procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute] and to continue my association with him afterwards.
“I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered.”
(L-R) Peter Mandelson and Gordon Brown in 2010. Pic: Reuters
It…
