Tara Mewawalla
Live reporter

Police say they have carried out searches at two separate properties linked to Lord Mandelson - one in the Wiltshire area and the other in central London.

Mandelson has not been arrested and enquiries are ongoing, the Met said in a statement.

The searches are linked to a criminal investigation, announced on Tuesday, into misconduct in public office offences.

It follows allegations that Mandelson passed market-sensitive government information to US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while a minister in Gordon Brown's government.

Mandelson has not commented publicly on the allegations, but the BBC understands his position is that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain.

Meanwhile, government figures are preparing to hand over electronic communications with Mandelson ahead of the release of government documents detailing his vetting process for his appointment as US ambassador.

Our political correspondent Harry Farley says it could take several months for the information to be released.

And similarly, our UK correspondent Daniel Sandford writes that the police investigation is likely to be a long and complicated operation.

We're ending our live coverage now - you can read more in our news story here.

Dominic Casciani
Home and legal correspondent

These searches are linked to a Met Police investigation into allegations of misconduct in a public office - here's an overview of what that offence means:

It's an ancient offence which can lead to a life sentence. It is part of the “common law” - meaning it’s evolved in court cases without Parliament debating and creating a precise definition.

In 1783 Lord Mansfield, one of the most important chief justices in English legal history, oversaw the trial of a government accountant who was accused of knowingly cooking the books.

The judge said that if someone working in such a privileged position failed to carry out their duties because of some ulterior corrupting motive, they were surely guilty of a crime.

Some 220 years later in 2003, Lord Mansfield’s successors at the Court of Appeal further clarified the law.

The judges said the offence would be committed if someone in a public role “wilfully neglects” or “misconducts” themselves to such a degree that they have abused the trust the public have put in them. As you can see, that’s still pretty complicated.

But, putting it simply, the Metropolitan Police will be investigating whether Mandelson, acting as public servant, passed sensitive government information to Epstein without a justifiable reason to do so, knowing that it was wrong to do so.

Mandelson has not publicly commented since the investigation was announced, but the BBC understands Mandelson's position is that he has not acted in any way criminally.

Vinnie O'Dowd
BBC News

Six unmarked police cars arrived at an address in Wiltshire linked to Mandelson at around 16:00 GMT this afternoon.

Officers in dark suits carrying unfolded archive boxes were seen entering the property.

At around 16:30 a marked police car from Wiltshire Police arrived at the address with two uniformed officers, before blue-gloved officers were seen investigating outhouses on the property at around 17:00.

The BBC understands Mandelson's position is that he has not acted in any way criminally.

Daniel Sandford
UK correspondent

It is understood that Lord Mandelson was at his address in Camden when police began the search. He was then able to arrange for police to enter the Wiltshire address without force.

Detectives are likely to be looking for storage devices, phones, computers, documents and photographs during their search for evidence.

It is unlikely that they would seek to question any suspects in the investigation yet. This is the start of what is likely to be a long and complicated operation.

As we've been reporting, the Met Police says it is searching two addresses linked to Lord Mandelson as part of an investigation into allegations of misconduct in a public office. It follows allegations Mandelson passed market-sensitive government information to Epstein while a minister under Gordon Brown.

Mandelson has not publicly commented on the allegations since the investigation was announced on Tuesday.

The BBC understands his position is that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain.

On Sunday evening Mandelson resigned his membership of the Labour Party and did comment on his relationship with Epstein and other findings from the files.

He said then: "I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this.

"Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me.

"While doing this, I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party.

"I want to take this opportunity to repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now."

As we've been reporting, the Met Police says officers are in the process of carrying out search warrants at two properties linked to Mandelson - one in the Wiltshire area, and another in the Camden area.

"He has not been arrested and enquiries are ongoing," it says.

The below image shows officers at an address linked to Mandelson in central London.

Image source, Getty Images

Mandelson has not publicly commented since the police investigation was announced on Tuesday, but the BBC understands Mandelson's position is that he has not acted in any way criminally.

As we've just reported, the Met Police says it is searching two addresses linked to Lord Mandelson.

The force announced on Tuesday that is had launched a criminal investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office.

It comes after Mandelson was accused of passing sensitive government information to US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while a minister in Gordon Brown's government.

The allegations followed the publication by the US Department of Justice of millions of files related to Epstein last Friday.

The Met Police says in its latest statement that no arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

Mandelson has not publicly commented since the investigation was announced, but the BBC understands Mandelson's position is that he has not acted in any way criminally.

The Met Police are searching two properties linked to Mandelson.

Deputy assistant commissioner Hayley Sewart, of the Metropolitan Police, says: "I can confirm that officers from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime team are in the process of carrying out search warrants at two addresses, one in the Wiltshire area, and another in the Camden area.

"The searches are related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences, involving a 72-year-old man.

"He has not been arrested and enquiries are ongoing."

The BBC understands Mandelson's position is that he has not acted in any way criminally.

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

It's now a week since the US Department of Justice released millions more files relating to the convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The information they contain about Lord Mandelson's relationship with Epstein have put considerable pressure on Keir Starmer, who appointed Mandelson US ambassador last year before sacking him in September.

Starmer apologised to Epstein’s victims yesterday for believing Mandelson’s "lies". The BBC understands Mandelson's view is that he answered questions about his relationship with Epstein in the vetting process accurately.

A handful of Labour MPs have criticised Starmer's handling of the situation publicly - some have today called for either changes in his No 10 team, or even for the PM himself to stand down.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch says she is "ready to talk seriously about a vote of no confidence" in the government.

Meanwhile, senior government figures are now preparing to hand over electronic communications with Mandelson ahead of the release of documents about his appointment.

The BBC understands the total number of government documents related to Mandelson could be close to 100,000.

Joe Pike
Political and investigations correspondent

The BBC understands the total number of government documents related to Lord Mandelson could be close to 100,000.

The Conservatives are seeking to keep up the pressure on the government by raising questions about the appointment of another Labour peer to the House of Lords.

Matthew Doyle, Starmer’s former director of communications, was given a peerage by the prime minister in December.

The Sunday Times has reported, external that Lord Doyle campaigned for Sean Morton, a former Labour councillor, after he was charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children in December 2016 but before he admitted guilt.

A No 10 spokeswoman told the newspaper in December that Lord Doyle’s past acquaintance with Morton was "thoroughly investigated" prior to his appointment as a peer.

Doyle has previously said he regrets supporting Morton, who was maintaining his innocence at the time, and that he has not seen him for years.

Morton pleaded guilty to indecent child image offences in November 2017 and was sentenced in February 2018.

In a letter to Starmer, Badenoch says: "This is now a pattern of behaviour. Your office conducts vetting on powerful people with impeccable Labour Party contacts, finds associations with men who have a history of abusing children, and the vetting gets overlooked and the person appointed anyway."

She is calling on the PM to set out the results of the investigation into Doyle’s past association with Morton and to publish all vetting advice prior to the appointment, as well as apologising "for this further profound error of judgement".

Update 15:00 GMT: Matthew Doyle says in a statement to the BBC: “Sean Morton was maintaining his innocence at this time. I regret supporting him. Sean Morton was someone I knew for a period through other shared acquaintances. I have not seen him for years.”

Starmer's biographer and former Labour special adviser, Tom Baldwin, says the PM is "certainly a fighter", but that he thinks this week has made it "more likely" he will be replaced as leader.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's World at One, he says yesterday Starmer showed "stolid determination" to make a speech yesterday and try and keep the focus on his policy agenda.

"His attitude is: 'I'm going to carrying on trying to do the right thing, and in the end perhaps doing the right thing will be rewarded,'" he says.

But Baldwin adds: "This week has made it more likely that Keir Starmer will be replaced at some point before the next election. Not certain - more likely."

"The curious thing about this week is it simultaneously has made it harder to find a suitable replacement for him," Baldwin adds.

He also says Starmer's "error of judgement" in appointing Mandelson "is an error a lot of people made".

Emily Hudson
South of England political editor

Image source, UK Parliament

Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan says Starmer should resign as prime minister.

"We can't just keep going on like this - lurching from one crisis to the next," the MP for Poole says.

The best option is to have a "renewal of the Labour Party" to restart its "offer to the British public," he says.

"That means changing who's in charge."

Duncan-Jordan has previously criticised decisions made by Starmer and his team. He was among four MPs who lost the whip last July for rebelling against welfare cuts - it was restored in November.

Joshua Nevett
Political reporter

Image source, Getty Images

A call for an independent public inquiry into the links between prominent British figures and the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been backed by 21 Labour MPs.

The call has been made in an early day motion, tabled in Parliament, by the Labour MP Nadia Whittome.

Whittome said the Epstein files make it clear that the disgraced financier “kept a close relationship with a number of British public figures”.

“His victims, and the public more widely, need to know the truth about the extent to which these public figures and British institutions may have been complicit in his crimes,” Whittome said.

Early day motions (EDMs) are parliamentary tools used by MPs to call for a debate about a particular topic.

Most motions that are debated are tabled by the government, which controls the majority of the parliamentary timetable.

As there is no specific time allocated to EDMs, very few are debated and it's unlikely this one will be.

That said, EDMs do demonstrate the level of parliamentary support for a point of view.

This one has been supported by 35 MPs from six different parties, including 21 from the Labour backbenches.

Many of the Labour MPs who signed this motion are known critics of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and have regularly spoken out against decisions made by his government.

Members of the public have been sharing their thoughts on Starmer's apology for believing Mandelson’s “lies” and appointing him as the UK's ambassador to the US.

• Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Isobel in Peacehaven says Starmer's apology “came across as very genuine" and "directed at the victims and survivors”
• However, Colin, from Bury St Edmunds, believes the apology was "a bit hollow" and the PM is "trying to save his job"
• Starmer is in a "very difficult position", says Jo in Coventry, who thinks the PM was naive to appoint Mandelson - but needed someone who could handle Trump's character
• Simon in Marlborough says"even when politicians are caught with their trousers down, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a politician stand up and say ‘I was wrong’"
• While Guy in Coventry believes that if Starmer takes responsibility, it will cost him his job. “I would be amazed if we are sat here in three months time and he’s still leader of the party,” he adds

Image source, PA

Keir Starmer has faced calls to resign by some members of his own party over the Mandelson saga. Here's how other parties have been reacting to his future as prime minister in recent days:

• Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Labour MPs to "speak to [her] team", adding that she is "ready to talk seriously about a vote of no confidence" in the PM
• Lib Dem leader Ed Davey also wants a vote, saying the British people "can't afford for this Labour soap opera to drag on for months"
• Reform's Zia Yusuf says Starmer's "entire offering" to the British electorate was that he would "not be corrupt and sleazy", adding that the "buck" for Mandelson stops with the PM, and that he should resign
• Green Party leader Zack Polanski writes that Mandelson "rot" goes "to the heart of this Labour govt"

Image source, PA Media

We've been hearing from a range of voices overnight and this morning regarding Keir Starmer's historic appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.

Here's a recap if you're just joining us:

• The PM's apology to Epstein’s victims was “nowhere near enough” for Labour MP Brian Leishman, who says questions about Starmer’s future are developing “hour by hour”

• Starmer was “let down” by his advisers, according to Labour MP Simon Opher, who believes the PM's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney needs to go
• The gravity of the situation can't be understated, according to Starmer’s former comms director James Lyons, who says it's not yet clear which other public figures could be dragged into the scandal
• Meanwhile, Home Office minister Mike Tapp has praised the government for “owning” its mistakes, while Epstein survivor Marina Lacerda says Starmer's apology is “a huge step”

Harry Farley
Political correspondent

Speak to Labour MPs and there are a handful of names that are frequently mentioned as candidates to succeed Starmer.

Angela Rayner has a deep well of support and affection among Labour MPs. The former deputy prime minister's intervention in the Commons this week was influential in forcing the government to back down and hand oversight of which documents are published to a committee of MPs and peers, rather than government officials.

But she has still not resolved the tax issues that forced her to resign from government in September. So she is not ready to run to replace Starmer.

Another name many MPs would like to see take charge is Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester. But a Starmer-controlled Labour committee blocked him from standing in the upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton, meaning he has no obvious route to becoming an MP anytime soon.

Image source, PA

Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, commands respect from a segment of Labour MPs. But it's not clear she yet has enough support in the party (80 backers is the minimum needed) to stand.

And finally there is Wes Streeting, the health secretary. He has long harboured ambitions, barely disguised, to be prime minister.

But he was also close to Lord Mandelson. And a number of MPs have mentioned they now fear embarrassing messages between the pair could be revealed as part of huge tranche of documents the government will release in the months ahead.

Significant moments coming up which could be very dangerous for the PMpublished at 11:00 GMT

11:00 GMT

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

You’ve probably heard the word febrile used to describe the situation at Westminster this week. It was - and perhaps still is. But when MPs go home for the weekend, the briefing often calms down for a few days.

However, the prime minister knows he can’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet.

MPs will be speaking to constituents in the next few days to judge the anger over the Mandelson situation. If they get an earful of the doorsteps, they could return even more angry.

There are some significant moments coming up soon, which could be very dangerous for the prime minister.

Documents

There’s the publication of documents relating to Mandelson. What will they show? Will MPs be convinced the prime minister was lied to when he appointed Mandelson? Could there be more embarrassing revelations?

There’s also the Gorton and Denton by-election at the end of the month. If, as some Labour folk fear, they lose badly - will MPs decide they need to act on their leader?

Elections

Similarly, there are a raft of elections at the start of May. Labour look likely to lose Wales. They could face very difficult results in Scotland and the English local elections too. That has long been seen as a moment where the prime minister will be extremely vulnerable.

Two caveats

Firstly, there isn’t an obvious successor. There are names - Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, maybe a caretaker of some sort. But many of them have their own baggage (Streeting was close to Mandelson, Rayner’s tax row).

Secondly - MPs don’t know exactly how they would force a change of leader. Some are nervous about the idea of a prolonged leadership campaign in an uncertain world. Others fear they might not get the leader they want - and things could get worse.

But there is no doubt Labour MPs are angry. There have been questions about Keir Starmer’s leadership for some time - the events of the past week have given them more of a sense of immediacy.

After Keir Starmer apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein for believing Mandelson's "lies" and appointing him as the UK's ambassador to the US - one survivor gave her reaction.

Speaking last night, Marina Lacerda told BBC's Newsnight: "I have to commend him for going on national television and admitting he was wrong and apologising to us.

"I think that's a huge step, right.

"You have also people here in America that have not even tried to apologise to us. So I have to commend him for that."