9:45 am today

UK: Mandelson 'flight risk', Chagos deal confusion, and more

From Nine To Noon, 9:45 am today
(FILES) British then-Labour Party politician Peter Mandelson attends the second day of the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool, northeast England on September 26, 2022. Britain's sacked ex-ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, is quitting the upper house of parliament, the speaker announced on February 3, 2026, amid a growing political scandal over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Photo: AFP / Oli Scarff

UK correspondent Harry Taylor has the latest on the fallout from the Epstein files, including that the Speaker of the House of Commons passed on information to police about Peter Mandelson, including that he could be a flight risk.

There's confusion around the UK's deal with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands, after a government minister said it was "pausing" the deal and a pocket of Manchester will be centre of attention to see who wins tomorrow's by-election.

Harry Taylor is a parliamentary reporter for PA Media