Metropolitan Police probe into Lord Mandelson BLOCKED by US Department of Justice

Scotland Yard's investigation into Lord Mandelson appears to have screeched to a halt after being blocked by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).

The DoJ is demanding the Metropolitan Police file a formal Mutual Legal Assistance request before releasing censored documents connected to the ex-Labour peer.

This bureaucratic process could take at least 18 months to complete.

The delay is set to significantly impede the criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson, who was arrested in February under suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Lord Mandelson has previously denied wrongdoing and has not been charged. He does not face allegations of sexual misconduct.

Despite attempts by Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to speed up the process, American officials have declined to voluntarily share potential evidence, according to The Telegraph.

Sir Mark approached Warren Stephens, the American ambassador to Britain, about the issue earlier this year.

He subsequently flew to Washington in March to request that officials provide all pertinent materials.

These appeals have reportedly been ignored, and the Met is now preparing a formal MLA application for the evidence.

The Met Police opened their criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson in January following the DoJ's publication of millions of files relating to the historic paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.

These files indicated he may have passed sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as Business Secretary under Gordon Brown.

The allegations include claims he disclosed plans for a multi-billion-pound EU bailout to the convicted paedophile and billionaire financier.

He is also accused of sharing details about Mr Brown's departure from office and information regarding potential Government property sales.

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Despite both Lord Mandelson and Andrew-Mountbatten Windsor facing arrest in Britain, US authorities have not pursued similar action against Americans named in the Epstein files.

The DoJ maintains there is insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against individuals named in the files, despite bipartisan calls for investigations.

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche told CNN in February that investigators examined the files last summer and found "there was nothing in there that allowed us to prosecute anybody".

First Lady Melania Trump has called on Congress to disclose the identities of abusive men whose names were redacted from the documents.

"Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone," she said during a White House address on April 10.

Marjorie Taylor-Greene, once an ally but now a critic of Mr Trump, has alleged the President worried his associates "would get hurt" by the file releases.

But the White House has characterised Ms Greene's remarks as "petty bitterness".

British police and prosecutors require original documents rather than copies to proceed with charges - hence the Mutual Legal Assistance request.

However, the Met could yet find a workaround while the DoJ sorts out its paperwork.

"If police feel that there's somebody who is a potential victim, [they can] contact them and say: 'Would you like to come to the UK voluntarily?'," former Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley told GB News.

"That has happened in the past, quite recently with murder investigations, for example.

"So that could possibly happen, but it's going to be a slowing down of the process. It's going to be hampering Scotland Yard.

"I think the Yard will have to busy themselves about seeing where they can gather evidence elsewhere, until such time as a Mutual Legal Agreement comes into being."

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