Keir Starmer wades into Andrew row as he urges ex-prince to share all on Epstein | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should seem earlier than the US Congress over his hyperlinks to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Sir Keir Starmer has mentioned. The Prime Minister mentioned the previous Duke of York should clarify his longstanding relationship with the financier.

Photos included in newly launched recordsdata on the useless billionaire seem to indicate the previous prince crouched over a lady on the ground. In the undated pictures, the royal seems to kneel on the bottom as he leans over an unidentified girl, whereas one other angle exhibits the girl’s stomach being touched. The pictures, amongst greater than three million paperwork printed by the US Department of Justice on Friday, haven’t any captions, and it’s not identified the place they had been taken.

However, they are going to probably put additional strain on Andrew, who has confronted ongoing questions over his friendship with the late financier. The royal has all the time denied any wrongdoing.

Other recordsdata revealed that Andrew, stripped of his royal titles over his hyperlinks to the intercourse offender, invited Epstein for dinner at Buckingham Palace in 2010, two years after Epstein pleaded responsible to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Asked in regards to the newest revelations en path to Japan for a commerce go to, the Prime Minister instructed reporters: “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.”

Other files revealed that in an email exchange dated September 27, 2010, Andrew said he was travelling back from Scotland to London, where Epstein was staying.

He suggests “we could have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy”.

Epstein responds: “Already in London. what time woudl [sic] you want me and we may also want/ have non-public time.”

It will not be clear whether or not a gathering on the palace came about.

Elsewhere within the tranche of paperwork, screenshots and scans seem to indicate the previous prince agreeing to satisfy a “beautiful” Russian 26-year-old girl for a dinner organized by Epstein.

Sir Keir additionally refused to touch upon additional revelations about Lord Mandelson, the Labour peer.

Epstein despatched £10,000 to Lord Mandelson’s now-husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva in 2009, in accordance with paperwork launched by the US Department of Justice.

In an electronic mail to Epstein, Mr da Silva units out the prices of an osteopathy course, offers his financial institution particulars and thanks the financier for “anything you can help me with”.

Epstein replies a number of hours later saying: “I will wire your loan amount immediately”. The following day, Mr da Silva writes: “Just a brief note to thank you for the money which arrived in my account this morning.”

Asked for a response, Lord Mandelson mentioned he had been “very clear” about his relationship with Epstein in interviews with the BBC.

“I have nothing more to add,” mentioned the Labour peer.

Last month Lord Mandelson, one of many architects of Tony Blair’s New Labour, instructed the BBC his friendship with Epstein had been a “most terrible mistake”.

Sir Keir added: “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. I’ve nothing more to say in relation to Peter Mandelson.”