COMMONS Speaker Lindsay Hoyle revealed today that he had told police that Peter Mandelson might be plotting to flee the country to avoid charges of misconduct in public office.

The report, which Mr Mandelson has hotly denied, led to police arresting the disgraced New Labour grandee earlier this week to thwart any such attempt.

Sir Lindsay had received information that the ex-ambassador, who denies any criminal wrongdoing, might be about to hotfoot it to the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.

The police action pre-empted what Mr Mandelson’s solicitor said was an agreement for his client to attend a voluntary police interview next month.

Sir Lindsay told MPs: “I’d like to confirm that upon receipt of information I felt it was relevant I passed this on to the Metropolitan Police in good faith, as is my duty and responsibility.”

His statement followed a case of misidentification by police intelligence. Officers had, according to the Mandelson camp, said their source for the escape tip-off had been Lords Speaker, Tory Michael Forsyth.

Mr Forsyth had denied any knowledge at all of Mr Mandelson’s travel plans, nor any contact with the police on the matter.

At 4am on Tuesday, shortly after his release from custody, Mr Mandelson had messaged friends, writing that “they claimed that I was about to flee to the British Virgin Islands and take up permanent residence abroad, leaving Reinaldo, my family, home and Jock behind me.”

Reinaldo is Mr Mandelson’s husband, while Jock is believed to refer to his dog.

“I need hardly say complete fiction,” he added. “The police were told only today that they had to improvise an arrest. The question is, who or what is behind this?”

It turns out the answer was in the other House of Parliament to the one advised by the police. Sir Lindsay’s source for the report is not clear – he did, however, visit the Virgin Islands himself recently.

The confusion adds a farcical touch to what would already be a pantomime-ready performance were it not for the seriousness of the underlying horror of late financier Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of girls and young women, the scandal which has precipitated Mr Mandelson’s complete public disgrace.

The government is readying for publication documents relating to his appointment as ambassador to the US, an event bound to be embarrassing for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, whose poor judgement is bound to be exposed.

This has been delayed, however, by police concerns that their investigation not be prejudiced.