MP suggests Epstein may have influenced Andrew’s appointment as trade envoy
Jeffrey Epstein may have played a role in Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor becoming UK trade envoy, a shadow minister has suggested, after the government agreed to release bombshell documents about his appointment.
On an unprecedented day in Parliament when MPs from all sides lined up to admonish the former prince, Business Secretary Sir Chris Bryant described Mr Mountbatten-Windsor as “a rude, arrogant and entitled man who cannot distinguish between the public interest he claims to serve and his own private interest”.
MPs unanimously backed a motion calling for the release of files relating to his appointment to the trade envoy role, passing it without a vote after the government backed Liberal Democrat-led calls for the release of documents, including any review and all correspondence from Peter Mandelson.
But MPs have been told ministers cannot release material police need for their investigation until officers are “satisfied”.
The Liberal Democrats used a low-key address to pressure the government, the same mysterious mechanism by which the Conservatives pressed for the release of files on Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador.
It came as party leader Sir Ed Davey described the latest revelations about the former prince and Lord Mandelson as “the first truly global scandal” that “reached all the way to the very top of the British establishment”.
Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor faces accusations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as his special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011. He was detained last week on suspicion of abuse of public office, then released under investigation.
This came just days before Lord Mandelson was also arrested on suspicion of abuse of public office, following similar allegations that he passed sensitive information to Epstein when he was business secretary.
The former Labor Minister was released on bail early on Tuesday.
Opening the debate, Sir Ed said: “Could there be many people more emblematic of the rot eating away at the British establishment than the former Duke of York and special trade envoy, former trade secretary, first secretary of state and US ambassador?
“Their association with Epstein, who was trusted with the privilege of public office, and their actions on his behalf are a stain on our country. We must begin to cleanse this stain with the disinfectant of transparency.”
Responding to the Liberal Democrats’ motion in the despatch box, Sir Chris said: “Let me be clear from the start, we support this motion today.
“Frankly, we owe at least that to the victims of the horrific abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein and others, who were enabled, aided and abetted by a vast group of arrogant, entitled and often very wealthy individuals in this country and elsewhere.
“It’s not just people participating in the abuse. There are many more who turn a blind eye out of greed, familiarity or respect.”
Sir Chris later added: “As the police have rightly said, it is absolutely crucial that the integrity of the investigation is maintained and these proceedings are currently ongoing; it would be wrong for me to say anything that might cause harm to them, and unless the police are satisfied the government cannot put into the public domain anything that the police require to carry out their investigations.”
Describing the former prince as “a man constantly on a whirlwind of self-glorification and enrichment”, the minister also said he wanted to “manage people’s expectations” about how quickly documents relating to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor could be released given the age and quantity of the material and the lively police investigation.
“It is important to remember that the documents likely to be included in this are mostly 25 years old. Some are a little earlier. They may be significant in number, many of them will be in print.”
Meanwhile, Conservative Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart suggested that Mr Epstein may have influenced Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment as trade envoy in 2001.
He told MPs: “Looking back to 2001, it is possible to identify Epstein’s involvement in the appointment of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor. “Peter Mandelson reportedly first met Epstein in the summer of 2001.
“I think Mountbatten-Windsor first met Epstein in 1999. And shortly after Mandelson’s first meeting in October 2001, [Mountbatten-Windsor] He was appointed as trade ambassador.”
Mr Burghart said his party welcomed the motion but criticized the government for not releasing the information without requiring a modest address.
“It would have been better if the government had been proactive in this matter and not had to be brought to Parliament by opposition parties to disclose this information,” he said.
It comes as the business and trade committee weighs in on launching a parliamentary inquiry into the role of UK trade envoys following Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
It is understood that any investigation would look at potential governance problems and lessons learned within the wider system, withholding specific comments about Mr Mountbatten-Windsor until the risk of undermining criminal proceedings has passed.
Although he was stripped of his title last year, the former Duke of York remains eighth in line to the throne and an act of parliament would be required to remove him from the succession.
The government did not rule out introducing such legislation after the police completed their investigation into the King’s disgraced brother.
