Minister calls latest image of Andrew ‘very disturbing’ and urges him to testify
The housing secretary, Steve Reed, is speaking to the BBC, a day after the latest tranche of releases from the US Department of Justice in relation to Jeffrey Epstein showed an image of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor clothed, on all fours, over a female lying supine on the floor.
Asked what he thought when he saw the photograph of Andrew, Reed said:
“What would anyone think … it is a very disturbing image and very worrying allegations, and as the prime minister said all of our thoughts need to be with those women who were the victims of what Epstein and his associates were doing.
“And the way that we can help those victims is for anybody who has any insight or information about what went on to come forward and testify. We need to shine a light on what has happened.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied all wrongdoing in relation to his dealings with Epstein. The former prince had a long friendship with Epstein and is alleged to have sexually assaulted one of his victims, Virginia Giuffre – allegations he denies.
Key events
Mandelson should clear up whether a ‘lack of disclosure’ remains over his links with Epstein, minister says
In his interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssbergg this morning, Steve Reed also suggested that Mandelson needs to clear up whether a “lack of disclosure” remains over his links with Epstein.
When asked whether he believed that Mandelson had told the entire truth about his connections to Epstein, the housing secretary replied: “Well, the reason he was removed as ambassador to the US is because there were things he had not disclosed. Now I don’t know how far that lack of disclosure goes. I think he should answer questions about his own life, not me.”
The latest files released by the department of justice also showed former ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, was paid $50,000 by Jeffrey Epstein in two payments in June 2004, when he was a Labour MP.
As a reminder, Mandelson was sacked in September over leaked emails in which he expressed his support for Epstein and urged him to “fight for early release” in 2008 while the disgraced financier was facing charges of soliciting sex from minors.
In 2019, Epstein died in a New York prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips programme this morning, the housing secretary, Steve Reed, was asked if Mandelson should be stripped of his peerage because of his association with Epstein. He said:
I think before taking any action like that, we need to understand exactly what’s happened. You’re asking me here about something that happened nearly 20 years ago. I don’t know the full detail of it, I wasn’t in government 20 years ago.
I don’t know whether he declared it or not, and he should have done – the declaration rules had been brought in by then – so I think it would be for Peter Mandelson to explain whether or not that money was properly declared, and if not, then he will need to account for that.
But I don’t want to jump the gun and make assumptions. I think we need to find out exactly what happened first.
Steve Reed’s comments come after the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said Andrew Mounbatten-Windsor should testify before the US Congress about his links to the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mounbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his titles last year amid the fallout from his friendship with the billionaire, features heavily in the latest tranche of Epstein files, released on Friday by the US justice department.
Speaking after the release of the latest Epstein files, Starmer said: “Firstly, I have always approached this question with the victims of Epstein in mind. Epstein’s victims have to be the first priority. As for whether there should be an apology, that’s a matter for Andrew.
“But yes, in terms of testifying, I have always said anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do that. You can’t be victim-centred if you’re not prepared to do that.”
As my colleagues note in this story, the documents suggest that, a month before the Buckingham Palace invitation, Epstein had suggested he could arrange for Mountbatten-Windsor to have dinner with a “clever, beautiful and trustworthy” Russian woman, who was 26. Mountbatten-Windsor apparently responded that he would be “delighted” to see the woman. He also asked Epstein if it was “good to be free” from house arrest.
Minister calls latest image of Andrew ‘very disturbing’ and urges him to testify
The housing secretary, Steve Reed, is speaking to the BBC, a day after the latest tranche of releases from the US Department of Justice in relation to Jeffrey Epstein showed an image of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor clothed, on all fours, over a female lying supine on the floor.
Asked what he thought when he saw the photograph of Andrew, Reed said:
“What would anyone think … it is a very disturbing image and very worrying allegations, and as the prime minister said all of our thoughts need to be with those women who were the victims of what Epstein and his associates were doing.
“And the way that we can help those victims is for anybody who has any insight or information about what went on to come forward and testify. We need to shine a light on what has happened.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied all wrongdoing in relation to his dealings with Epstein. The former prince had a long friendship with Epstein and is alleged to have sexually assaulted one of his victims, Virginia Giuffre – allegations he denies.
Labour party chair accuses Zack Polanski of being ‘cowardly’ for not fighting Gorton and Denton byelection
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics. The Labour party has accused the Green party leader Zack Polanski of being cowardly for not standing in the Gorton and Denton byelection on 26 February.
In an interview with The Observer, the Labour party’s chair, Anna Turley, said the fact Salford-born Polanski did not stand showed the Greens lacked “confidence” to do so.
“It sends a strong message that they think they are in third place … That is the reality – a Green vote is a wasted vote,” she said. A spokesperson for Polanski said he was waiting for the by?election in Holborn and St Pancras.
Labour is vying with the Green party to attract progressive votes to beat Reform in a byelection being framed by Nigel Farage’s party as a referendum on Keir Starmer’s leadership.
It was triggered by the resignation of the former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne because of ill health.
The Greens came third in the Gorton and Denton seat at the 2024 general election, just behind Reform UK.
Although Labour won the seat with a majority of 13,000, the party has massively slid in the polls since and will face fierce competition from the opposition parties likely to make gains due to huge voter disenchantment with the government.
The Green party has selected Hannah Spencer, a Trafford councillor and plumber by trade, to run in the byelection, while Labour has selected Angeliki Stogia, a Manchester city councillor, and Reform picked Matthew Goodwin, a former academic who is now a GB News presenter and hard-right activist.
Polanski will be interviewed on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg politics programme shortly. Stick with us as we bring you the latest lines.
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