Zürcher Nachrichten - UK govt says will release files on 'rude' ex-prince Andrew

The fallout from the publication last month by US authorities of millions of files related to late sex offender Epstein is reverberating around the British monarchy and political circles.

It has piled pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government to release documents on Andrew and former minister Peter Mandelson, who are both now the subject of high-profile police investigations.

Minister Chris Bryant told parliament that the government would release vetting documents on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's appointment as trade envoy, a post he held from 2001 to 2011.

It came after the third largest party, the Liberal Democrats, deployed a little-used parliamentary mechanism intended to force ministers to disclose files, which stem from when Tony Blair was Labour prime minister 26 years ago.

Bryant said publishing the documents was "the least we owe the victims" of Epstein, adding that Andrew was "a rude, arrogant and entitled man".

He cautioned, however, that the government would have to be guided by police as to what documents can be released so as not to jeopardise their investigation.

- 'Stain on country' -

Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles last year, is being probed by police over allegations that he shared sensitive documents with Epstein during his time as envoy.

The former prince was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and his brother King Charles III has said the "law must take its course".

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said Andrew's association with Epstein, and that of Mandelson, who was bailed in the early hours of Tuesday, were a "stain on our country".

"We must begin to clean away that stain with the disinfectant of transparency," he said.

The party's motion, known as a "humble address", passed without a vote due to the government's support.

Bryant said he wanted to "manage people's expectations" about how quickly the papers can be released, due to the age and quantity of the material, as well as the police probe.

Mountbatten-Windsor, long embroiled in scandals over his friendship with Epstein, has denied any wrongdoing.

Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, claimed she was trafficked three times to have sex with the British royal, starting in 2001 and twice when she was 17.

Andrew settled a US civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by Giuffre while not admitting liability.

The push for the files on Andrew comes as the government prepares to release in early March a first set of documents relating to the 2024 appointment of Mandelson as UK ambassador in Washington.

The main opposition Conservative party had also earlier successfully used a "humble address" to compel their release.

- 'Pushed appointment' -

Mandelson, a key figure in British politics for decades and Britain's envoy to Washington until September, is facing a separate misconduct in public office probe, also related to his links to Epstein.

His appointment has triggered a political storm with two of Starmer's top aides resigning over the row and raising questions about the prime minister's judgement.

Starmer sacked Mandelson as envoy after just seven months over revelations about the depth of his ties to Epstein.

Later released files appear to show that Mandelson passed on financial information to the disgraced financier when he was UK business secretary around 2009-2010.

When Andrew was appointed trade envoy, Mandelson was a pivotal figure in Blair's Labour and was nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" for his media manipulation skills.

Mountbatten-Windsor's biographer Andrew Lownie told AFP Blair and Mandelson "pushed his appointment through".

Mandelson has apologised for his friendship with Epstein and insisted he did not know about the financier's sexual offences, despite Epstein's 2008 conviction for child prostitution.

Neither Mandelson nor Andrew has been charged with any offence.

Starmer has apologised to Epstein's victims for appointing Mandelson, and accused him of lying about the extent of his ties to the tycoon during the vetting process.

S.Scheidegger--NZN