The Times reports Commons Speaker Linsday Hoyle was the source of intelligence which led Metropolitan Police officers to arrest Peter Mandelson on Monday afternoon. Mandelson was previously scheduled to do a voluntary interview in March before the rozzer swept in after judging him a flight risk…
Mandelson was briefing hacks that some conspiracy was going on with someone trying to do him in. It turns out Hoyle was told by a source on the British Virgin Islands that Mandelson planned to travel there. Hoyle told Met officers as much on Monday, who then interviewed Hoyle’s source. Mandelson says the allegation he was planning to leave is “complete fiction.” Mandelson originally blamed the Lords Speaker – Lord Forsyth – for dobbing him in. When it was the lower house what done it…
UPDATE: Hoyle tells the Commons: “I would like to confirm that I felt it was relevant to pass this on to the Met police in good faith as is my duty.”
Asked about warnings of a civil war in an interview with The House, Reform MP Danny Kruger said:
“Yeah. The only chance of unity for our country is Reform. If we don’t win, or if we win and then make a mess of it, I do fear for our country.”