Peter Mandelson has stepped down from the House of Lords after emails revealed a connection between him and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Some of the emails reportedly contained confidential UK government communications which further raises concerns.
The resignation followed reports that Keir Starmer had given a dossier to the police after it was revealed that Mandelson had sent Epstein emails containing official briefings he received as business secretary under Gordon Brown, including details of the government's actions during the global financial crisis.
Starmer expressed outrage over the leaked emails and has requested the legislation to quickly revoke Mandelson's peerage.
A Downing Street spokesperson said it was “right” that Mandelson was quitting adding, “As the prime minister said this morning, Peter Mandelson let his country down.”
“The prime minister believes there is a broader need for the House of Lords to be able to remove transgressors more quickly,” his spokesperson said.
BBC exclusively revealed that Metropolitan Police is to launch a criminal investigation into Mandelson.
Mandelson will officially leave the House of Lords on Wednesday but will keep his title Lord Mandelson, unless new legislation is passed to remove it, which hasn't been revoked from anyone for over a century.
