Peter Mandelson arrested

Yes I thought that.

In a different way PM has been used to getting his own way as has AMW

Thanks LemonJam*. That confirms exactly why I thought they'd made an afternoon arrest rather than the usual early morning one, when I posted yesterday. The tipping point being the suggestion he was planning to leave the country (probably imminently) prompted a need for a hastened arrest, not they simply didn't get around to it for some reason or other.
So we may assume Hoyle received information to that effect and passed it immediately to MPS.

I would also speculate the arrest was made promptly after the tip off Rosie51- to manage the potential flight risk at earliest opportunity. All in order. Hoyle is not obliged to disclose the background of his information to the press. He was not obliged to say anything- but chose to do so, he said, to stop speculation specifically (against the MPS/CPS?).

PM and his legal team would know they can ask police for details of evidence, as they did, but also know the police are not obliged to make full disclosure at investigation phase. It was an intentional, quite aggressive, publicity oriented tactic. PM knows the media game well but this time was thwarted by Hoyle's public statement. Most likely, the intention was to get on the front foot v MPS/CPS on back foot in the public perception. If and when the case gets to court- the jury will be made up of members of the public and they probably will have read newspaper articles etc.

Whilst in investigation phase, as are both AMW and PM (pre charge) allows the defence to ask questions, understand the evidence and potentially raise issues to prevent charges being brought- but the police are not obliged to make full disclosure of their case file. They will reveal (just) enough evidence to allow for a proper response in interviews.

Apparently, and apologies if I am wrong, but the Speaker himself was in the British Virgin Islands and somehow became aware that Mandelson was preparing to travel there.

That's what Hoyle said when he made his statement....he visited last week during Parliament recess. He said he met with officials including the Governor and the Premier...Hoyle holds public office and has "good character", ie has no serious criminal record, no immigration breaches, no known deception or significant financial issues or any known actions to seriously damage his reputation. Thus the police could accept his tip off in "good faith" on that basis thus the arrest was not "baseless " therefore as PM's solicitors claimed.

Thus so far in investigation, PM- 0 and MPS/CPS- 1 in the media court of opinion.

Change for PM to be out manouvred. He the cleverist of conspiracists

Can’t remember a worst speaker than Hoyle. I’ve complained several times to the speakers office about the way he has spoken to some MP’s ( Carolyn Lucas being one).

He did the right thing in this instance though *MayBee70”, and saying it was him who reported it so quickly was also right in my opinion.

I just read this - it does make you wonder quite what the links are in the British Virgin Islands to the Epstein case, and maybe if somebody had in fact offered Mandelson sanctuary?
edition.cnn.com/2026/02/25/politics/epstein-virgin-islands-governor-kfile-invs

The Metropolitan Police have apologised to Lindsay Hoyle for revealing him as the source of the information concerning Mandelson's plans to flee to the British Virgin Islands.

What is going on in this country?

Casdon

He did the right thing in this instance though *MayBee70”, and saying it was him who reported it so quickly was also right in my opinion.

Well he had to do that though because the police had told PM and his solicitors that it was the Speaker in the Lords. If the Met hadn’t said anything ( which I believe they weren’t supposed to) then we wouldn’t have known. Bit of a mess really. I still don’t understand why the BVI when there’s an extradition treaty. Maybe it might have been a stopover ?

Sorry, I didn’t make myself very clear, I meant he reported it to the police immediately he got back from BVI, the timing was obviously important. I don’t know why there either, unless it is possible to hide there in plain sight and whoever was presumably involved was in a position to do that, who knows?

Oh I see what you mean. I did wonder at first why the police aren’t supposed to reveal their sources and then I realised that often it could be criminals in serious organised crime stuff who would be flight risks and they might take vengeance. Honestly , the film all this is going to make I think Bill Nighy for PM - who will play A?

Russell Crowe is clever enough

Meanwhile in other news …. PM has had his bail conditions lifted. No longer a flight risk apparently

To get bail conditions lifted or varied you must demonstrate they are no longer necessary, disproportionate or that circumstances have changed. Can request variation directly from police, apply to Magistrates court if not forthcoming or appeal thereafter to Crown Court.

LemonJam

To get bail conditions lifted or varied you must demonstrate they are no longer necessary, disproportionate or that circumstances have changed. Can request variation directly from police, apply to Magistrates court if not forthcoming or appeal thereafter to Crown Court.

Could it mean that no evidence has been found that he was planning to flee in the first place? It’s hard to know how reliable a source told the speaker.

I must say I was sceptical about the flight risk bit, and I haven't had a good word to say about mandelsson for decades.

Galaxy

I must say I was sceptical about the flight risk bit, and I haven't had a good word to say about mandelsson for decades.

What made me sceptical was that we have an extradition treaty with the BVI. I think the Speaker got a bit over excited- and he is rather pompous and full of his own importance

I suspect it’s easy to critise, sneer at the Speaker. If he was given info suggesting Mandelson was a potential flight risk and didn’t pass that to the Police, criticising him would be reasonable and deserved. Criticising him for passing on what seems to have been inaccurate info makes me relieved in no longer a public servant

Iam64

I suspect it’s easy to critise, sneer at the Speaker. If he was given info suggesting Mandelson was a potential flight risk and didn’t pass that to the Police, criticising him would be reasonable and deserved. Criticising him for passing on what seems to have been inaccurate info makes me relieved in no longer a public servant

I’ve never thought much of his judgement as Speaker. He is rather full of himself - I think his expenses and money spent on his apartment have raised some eyebrows. I’m not sneering but criticising. I’m giving an opinion based on what I’ve seen and what I’ve read. To call that sneering is well frankly sneering .

Taking it personally and getting crossTuliptree? It’s a discussion point surely

Iam64

Taking it personally and getting crossTuliptree? It’s a discussion point surely

Yes because it was personal - aimed at me as I was the only one who’d criticised the Speaker. Sneery is a nasty little word and you know that.

I actually don't think there is a right or wrong answer about the speaker. It is fine to be sceptical about it and fine to accept it. And there is something in what Iam64 says, about culpability, if I had known Mandellson, I would be singing like a bird.

Tuliptree

Iam64

I suspect it’s easy to critise, sneer at the Speaker. If he was given info suggesting Mandelson was a potential flight risk and didn’t pass that to the Police, criticising him would be reasonable and deserved. Criticising him for passing on what seems to have been inaccurate info makes me relieved in no longer a public servant

I’ve never thought much of his judgement as Speaker. He is rather full of himself - I think his expenses and money spent on his apartment have raised some eyebrows. I’m not sneering but criticising. I’m giving an opinion based on what I’ve seen and what I’ve read. To call that sneering is well frankly sneering .

I’m of the same opinion. I often think he throws his weight around unfairly. He was really nasty to Caroline Lucas once who, imo has always behaved impeccably in parliament and I complained to the speakers office about it. Having said that, having watched the latest series of Industry in which the banking gets embroiled with politics , some of it is remarkably close to the things that have been happening recently and my first thought was that maybe Hoyle was actually right about Mandelson doing a runner.