Mandelson vs the Met: What the hell just happened?

The News Agents

Wednesday, 25 February 2026 - 42 minutes

In a dramatic statement to MPs this morning, Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle revealed that he had felt "duty-bound" to report to the police what he had heard on a recent trip to the British Virgin Islands - that Peter Mandelson was due to head to the island. It was that tip off which led to Mandelson being arrested and questioned by the Met on Monday, and an allegation that has been called "baseless" by our former ambassador to the Washington.

Why did Mandelson point the finger at a different parliamentarian for his arrest? Why did ugly scenes at PMQs follow? And is it undermining Labour's campaign in the Gorton and Denton by-election?

Later, we speak to justice minister Sarah Sackman about the "courts blitz" announced by the government, that by-election, and Peter Mandelson.

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