Peter Mandelson is in a right old funk. Having been ignominiously hauled in by the Met for questioning on Monday, his lawyers have now been firing off furious statements, indignantly asking why the rozzers viewed him as a flight risk. Who could have tipped them off? But now the mysterious source has chosen to identify themselves. Ahead of Prime Ministers’ Questions, Lindsay Hoyle revealed today that it was he who told the Met that he had heard Peter Mandelson was planning to leave the country. Dun dun duh….
Mandelson blames this tip-off – which he claims was wrong – led to him being arrested by the police, rather than being allowed to attend an interview voluntarily. The Prince of Darkness has been telling friends that the tip-off to the police had come from the Lord Speaker, Hoyle’s opposite number in the Lords, Michael Forsyth. So it was left to Hoyle to tell MPs today that:
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.
Prior to his election in 2019 of course, the now-Speaker was a longtime member of the Labour party, well-versed in the various factional squabbles of the Tony Blair era. Talk about a Labour of love eh?
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