Lord Peter Mandelson’s Pewsey Vale house searched by Met Police, Labour Government rocked

It’s rare that activity in the Pewsey Vale reverberates to Westminster and beyond but in the past few days it has. A Metropolitan Police team spent hours searching for material relating to the ‘Epstein Affair’ in the house that Lord (Peter) Mandelson rents in the Pewsey Vale, near to Oare and Wilcot on Friday, and today, Sunday 8 February the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff resigned. Linked? Indirectly, certainly, more than that we don’t know (yet) but possibly. Lord Mandelson’s other property on Camden was also searched at the same time.

Morgan McSweeney stood down as Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer’s Chief of Staff earlier today. Taking responsibility for his advice and recommendation to appoint Lord Mandelson to the position of Ambassador to the United States. Contentious in the recent revelations regarding the nature and extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein that led to his removal from the role last September, but even more contentious following the disclosure of the three million or so documents in the ‘Epstein files’ released a week or so back in the United States. That volume of material takes some while to study and dissect but as it gets sifted through it became clear that Lord Mandelson’s actions vis a vis Epstein were far greater and more extensive than understood previously. And the recognition that confidential information was passed to Epstein by Mandelson has opened up this major investigation, prompted McSweeney’s departure, destabilised the position of the Prime Minister, Kier Starmer and led to the thorough search of the house in the Pewsey Vale.

Was Lord Mandelson there? We don’t believe so but from the number of cars hanging around in the quiet country lane that leads to the house, many are waiting to find out, or spot him if he does arrive. Cars were parked filling every space on the nearby grass verge, most with one occupant – presumably a journalist, paparazzi or investigator keenly watching for some action or activity in or around the house.

So were there secrets in Mandelson’s Pewsey Vale garage? By all accounts the Police team removed large amounts of material, much of which was stored in the large double garage adjoining the house. More will emerge, we can be sure of that.