On February 7, 2026, two seemingly separate but deeply intertwined stories unfolded in the United Kingdom, each pulling back the curtain on the country’s shifting political and legal landscape. While police searched properties in London’s Camden district and Wiltshire as part of a high-profile misconduct probe into former US ambassador Peter Mandelson, a parallel drama played out in the world of legal activism. There, Riverway Law—a London-based firm—publicly completed its transformation into Riverway to the Sea, a movement-embedded legal and advocacy organization committed to Palestinian liberation and anti-colonial resistance. Together, these events have thrown a spotlight on the UK’s institutions, raising questions about power, accountability, and the very role of law in society.
The criminal investigation into Peter Mandelson, announced by the Metropolitan Police on February 7, centers on allegations of misconduct in public office. The probe, according to Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart, involves a 72-year-old man—Mandelson—who has not yet been arrested, with inquiries still ongoing. The properties being searched are directly linked to the ongoing investigation, which began earlier in the week after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government referred communications between Mandelson and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein to the authorities. These communications, as reported by Bloomberg, suggest Mandelson leaked market-sensitive information to Epstein while serving as a minister in Gordon Brown’s government.
This revelation has sent shockwaves through the British political establishment. Starmer, who initially appointed Mandelson as US envoy, has faced fierce backlash from Labour MPs and the broader public, particularly after conceding that he was aware of Mandelson’s ties to Epstein long after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for child sex-trafficking. The furore has put Starmer’s administration under intense scrutiny, with critics demanding greater transparency and accountability in government appointments and security vetting.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who appointed Mandelson to a ministerial role in 2008, took personal responsibility in a Guardian opinion column published on February 7. “I greatly regret this appointment,” Brown wrote, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the following day, Brown went further, stating that Starmer was “misled and betrayed” by Mandelson. However, Brown argued that this was not a sufficient explanation, highlighting a “systemic failure” in the government’s vetting processes. He even proposed that the UK introduce parliamentary hearings for new ministers, similar to the US Senate’s confirmation process—a recommendation that could mark a significant shift in British political culture.
In response to mounting pressure, Starmer apologized to Epstein’s victims on February 6, pledging to publish a broad swath of documents related to Mandelson’s security vetting and communications while serving as US ambassador. “I believe the documents should be released with urgency and transparency,” Starmer wrote to the chairman of Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee on February 7. Yet, with the police requesting that some papers be retained to avoid prejudicing their investigation, the timeline for publication remains uncertain. As the investigation continues, Starmer’s government finds itself walking a tightrope between public accountability and the need to protect the integrity of an active police probe.
While the Mandelson affair dominated headlines, a quieter but equally seismic shift was underway in Britain’s legal community. On the same day, national security lawyer Fahad Ansari spoke with JURIST News about the transformation of Riverway Law into Riverway to the Sea. This new organization, Ansari explained, is dedicated to confronting Zionism and defending Palestinian liberation, training lawyers and activists internationally to challenge what he calls the UK’s increasingly repressive counterterrorism framework.
Riverway to the Sea’s mission is both bold and controversial. The group’s evolution comes in response to recent government actions, notably the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Palestine Action, known for its direct actions against Israeli weapons factories, was banned for its role in disrupting the flow of arms to Israel. Within 72 hours of the ban, 110 people were arrested for holding placards supporting Palestine Action, a move Ansari views as emblematic of an authoritarian turn in British policing. By December 2025, arrests for terrorism-related offenses had soared by 660 percent, with most linked to peaceful protesters.
“Much of the repression we’re seeing now has roots in earlier counterterrorism legislation,” Ansari told JURIST News. He described how the Terrorism Act 2000 internationalized measures originally aimed at Irish groups, eventually criminalizing entire Palestinian organizations and stifling political dialogue. Ansari argued that this trajectory is unprecedented in British history, noting, “Even with Sinn Féin and the IRA, dialogue was always maintained as Sinn Féin was never proscribed.”
Riverway to the Sea aims to push back against this climate by providing legal education and support not only to lawyers but also to activists and communities. The organization’s training covers de-proscription challenges, regulatory cases, employment, asylum, and broader political consciousness building. Ansari emphasized the importance of context in legal defenses, referencing a recent High Court judgment that found it is not antisemitic to call for the abolition of Israel, to call it a racist state, or to compare it to Nazi Germany. “That’s critical,” he said, underscoring the significance of legal victories that protect the right to dissent.
International collaboration is central to Riverway to the Sea’s strategy. After their application for the de-proscription of Hamas, the organization received inquiries from legal teams in Australia, Austria, the Netherlands, and Sweden, all seeking to coordinate similar challenges. Ansari sees this as the beginning of a global legal front against the repression of pro-Palestinian activism. “If a firm in Vienna or elsewhere shares our principles, they can affiliate, receive training, and coordinate challenges with us across jurisdictions,” he explained.
Riverway to the Sea has also reimagined the traditional relationship between solicitors and barristers, dissolving rigid hierarchies in favor of a unified, collective approach. “Barristers like Franck [Magennis] worked with us in the office, side by side, preparing cases, strategizing with expert witnesses,” Ansari recounted. This collaborative model, he argued, is essential for movements facing state repression, ensuring that legal and political arguments are fully integrated and that solidarity remains at the core.
Yet, this work comes at a cost. Ansari and his colleagues have faced regulatory investigations and public smears, often accused by politicians and the media of supporting terrorism simply for defending controversial clients or causes. Still, Ansari remains undeterred. “To be smeared by senior politicians and media is tough, but it’s also a badge of honor,” he said. He called on young lawyers and organizers to stand firm, invoking the legacy of anti-apartheid legal activism: “History will judge us. We must be counted.”
As the UK grapples with scandals at the highest levels of government and a growing crackdown on political dissent, the stories of Peter Mandelson and Riverway to the Sea offer a window into a nation wrestling with its conscience. Both cases, in their own way, challenge the boundaries of accountability, justice, and the meaning of the rule of law in turbulent times.