Andrew should testify before US Congress over links to Epstein, says Starmer
The former prince should share information in ‘whatever form’ he is asked, PM says
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should be prepared to testify before the US Congress about his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the prime minister has said.
Sir Keir Starmer suggested the former prince would be failing victims if he continues to refuse to do so. He called for a “victim-centred” approach to dealing with the Epstein case, saying that “anybody who’s got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they’re asked to do that”.
But the government has dodged the question of whether the UK would comply with an extradition request from the US for the former duke, should one be made.
It comes after pictures which appear to show Andrew crouched over an unidentified woman were among three million documents related to the disgraced financier were released by the US Department of Justice on Friday.
As he arrived in Japan for the final leg of his visit to East Asia, Sir Keir was asked if Andrew should apologise and testify to the congressional Epstein investigation.
Andrew has been accused of “hiding” from US officials on the House Oversight Committee, which in November asked him to sit for a transcribed interview regarding his connections to Epstein.
The prime minister said: “Firstly I always approach this question with the victims of Epstein’s in mind. Epstein’s victims have to be the first priority. Whether there should be an apology, that’s a matter for Andrew.
“But, yes, in terms of testifying, I’ve always said anybody who’s got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they’re asked to do that because you can’t be victim-centred if you’re not prepared to do that.”
Asked if the government would comply with an extradition request from the US for the former duke, should one be made, communities secretary Steve Reed told Sky News on Sunday: “You’re asking me now details of legislation that would depend on the type of offence that may or may not have been committed. It’s entirely hypothetical.
“I don’t think it’s sensible for me to come on here and start talking hypothetically about situations that may or may not exist.
“But the principle here is very, very clear: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor clearly has insight into what was going on, and he should testify, because the victims deserve and need him, and anybody else who may have witnessed things, to do that.”
Mr Reed added that he had “no idea” if the government could compel Andrew to take part in the congressional investigation.
The latest pictures, released in a document of 100 pages of photographs, also appear to show the former duke touching the woman’s abdomen. Another unidentified person’s feet are up on a table in the background. They have no captions and it is not known where they were taken.
Elsewhere in the document dump, screenshots and scans appear to show the former prince exchanged emails with Epstein about a “beautiful” Russian woman and invited him to Buckingham Palace.
Andrew has previously vehemently denied any wrongdoing and being named or pictured in the Epstein files does not suggest any criminality.
Lord Mandelson, the former ambassador to the US, also features in the release of files.
The peer was sacked as the chief envoy to Washington DC after revelations of his continued contact with Epstein following his guilty plea in 2008 to soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor.
Lord Mandelson has offered an unequivocal apology to Epstein’s victims.
But there are now growing calls for Lord Mandelson to be expelled from the Labour Party after the tranche of newly released documents suggested the convicted sex offender sent £10,000 to his husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva.
According to the exchange of emails, published by the US Department of Justice (DoJ), Mr da Silva had asked Epstein for money to fund an osteopathy course and other related expenses in September 2009.
Lord Mandelson has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords since he took up his role as US ambassador, meaning he does not currently have the Labour whip. But the party has refused to say whether or not it would be restored if he applied to return to the Lords.
Sir Keir was asked if the payment, apparently made while Lord Mandelson was serving as business secretary, fell below the standards of a peer of the realm.
The prime minister replied: “In relation to Peter Mandelson, obviously he was removed as ambassador in relation to the further information that came to light in September of last year and I’ve nothing more to say in relation to Peter Mandelson.”
Cabinet minister Steve Reed also declined to say whether Lord Mandelson should be stripped of the Labour whip if he returns to the Lords, telling Sky News: "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."
He added: “I wasn't in the government 20 years ago."
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