Former minister joins calls for police to investigate Andrew over Epstein ties

Authorities are facing renewed pressure to launch a full investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ties with Jeffrey Epstein after a former business secretary urged them to examine his role as a UK trade envoy.

The former prince’s relationship with the paedophile financier has been under intense scrutiny, as further evidence of his alleged involvement came to light in the latest tranche of the so-called Epstein files.

According to emails released by the US Department of Justice, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to have forwarded official reports on trips to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Vietnam in 2010 and 2011 to Epstein, when he was a government trade envoy.

Sir Vince Cable, whose time as business secretary between 2010 and 2015 overlapped with Andrew’s envoy role, said the activity was “totally unacceptable” and urged the police to launch a full investigation into his role.

He also told the BBC: “We need a police or DPP (director of public prosecutions) check on whether criminal corruption took place and a government investigation into how this was allowed to happen.”

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It comes after the UK’s top prosecutor, Stephen Parkinson, warned “nobody is above the law”, as the director of public prosecutions, said “no, of course not” when asked whether he thought the royals were above the law.

He added that he has “total confidence” that the police will be independent.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: “Nobody is above the law... It’s my job to enforce the law, and I do so without fear or favour, and that is unaffected by the status of the individual concerned.”

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Emails released as part of the so-called Epstein files earlier this month appear to show the former duke – who served as trade envoy between 2001 and 2011 – sharing confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with the paedophile financier.

Trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality.

The King has made clear his “profound concern” over the allegations of misconduct against Andrew, with Buckingham Palace saying it will “stand ready to support” the police if approached.

Much of the work of the royal family in recent weeks has been overshadowed by the Epstein scandal, despite the King’s attempts to draw a line under the matter when he banished Andrew and removed his titles.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey claimed the files had made it clear Andrew had “abused his position as trade envoy”, and called for a public inquiry.

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“The Epstein revelations are hugely damaging to public trust in our institutions. It's clear Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor abused his position as trade envoy, sharing sensitive information about the UK's interests with his friend, and convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein,” he told the Mail Online.

“The police are rightfully looking into this as we need full transparency to get justice for the victims of this abhorrent abuse. That must also include a public inquiry.”

Labour MP Sarah Owen, who heads the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, this week said Andrew must answer to the police and Parliament over the allegations, while Labour MP Rachael Maskell told the BBC the former duke should be stripped of his succession rights to the throne.

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“We need to know what was happening in those circles and therefore I think it would be right to be able to scrutinise, have transparency and to get to the bottom of all these dealings,” she said.

“All of these titles and positions need to be addressed so we're just left with Andrew the citizen and a citizen that is fully accountable.”

It comes as Thames Valley Police said last week that they have held discussions with specialists from the Crown Prosecution Service about the allegations that Andrew shared confidential reports.

The force said: “While we cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, we can assure you that Thames Valley Police is making progress as quickly as possible.”

Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said they were leading the assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office, which specifically related to documents within the United States Department of Justice’s Epstein files.