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Minister calls latest image of Andrew 'very disturbing' and urges him to testify
The housing secretary, Steve Reed, is speaking to the BBC, a day after the latest tranche of releases from the US Department of Justice in relation to Jeffrey Epstein showed an image of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor clothed, on all fours, over a female lying supine on the floor.
Asked what he thought when he saw the photograph of Andrew, Reed said:
“What would anyone think … it is a very disturbing image and very worrying allegations, and as the prime minister said all of our thoughts need to be with those women who were the victims of what Epstein and his associates were doing.
“And the way that we can help those victims is for anybody who has any insight or information about what went on to come forward and testify. We need to shine a light on what has happened.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied all wrongdoing in relation to his dealings with Epstein.
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Steve Reed’s comments come after the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said Andrew Mounbatten-Windsor should testify before the US Congress about his links to the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mounbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his titles last year amid the fallout from his friendship with the billionaire, features heavily in the latest tranche of Epstein files, released on Friday by the US justice department.
Speaking after the release of the latest Epstein files, Starmer said: “Firstly, 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.”
As my colleagues note in this story, the documents suggest that, a month before the Buckingham Palace invitation, Epstein had suggested he could arrange for Mountbatten-Windsor to have dinner with a “clever, beautiful and trustworthy” Russian woman, who was 26. Mountbatten-Windsor apparently responded that he would be “delighted” to see the woman. He also asked Epstein if it was “good to be free” from house arrest.
Minister calls latest image of Andrew 'very disturbing' and urges him to testify
The housing secretary, Steve Reed, is speaking to the BBC, a day after the latest tranche of releases from the US Department of Justice in relation to Jeffrey Epstein showed an image of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor clothed, on all fours, over a female lying supine on the floor.
Asked what he thought when he saw the photograph of Andrew, Reed said:
“What would anyone think … it is a very disturbing image and very worrying allegations, and as the prime minister said all of our thoughts need to be with those women who were the victims of what Epstein and his associates were doing.
“And the way that we can help those victims is for anybody who has any insight or information about what went on to come forward and testify. We need to shine a light on what has happened.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied all wrongdoing in relation to his dealings with Epstein.
Labour party chair accuses Zack Polanski of being 'cowardly' for not fighting Gorton and Denton byelection
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics. The Labour party has accused the Green party leader Zack Polanski of being cowardly for not standing in the Gorton and Denton byelection on 26 February.
In an interview with The Observer, the Labour party’s chair, Anna Turley, said the fact Salford-born Polanski did not stand showed the Greens lacked “confidence” to do so.
“It sends a strong message that they think they are in third place … That is the reality – a Green vote is a wasted vote,” she said. A spokesperson for Polanski said he was waiting for the byelection in Holborn and St Pancras.
Labour is vying with the Green party to attract progressive votes to beat Reform in a byelection being framed by Nigel Farage’s party as a referendum on Keir Starmer’s leadership.
It was triggered by the resignation of the former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne because of ill health.
The Greens came third in the Gorton and Denton seat at the 2024 general election, just behind Reform UK.
Although Labour won the seat with a majority of 13,000, the party has massively slid in the polls since and will face fierce competition from the opposition parties likely to make gains due to huge voter disenchantment with the government.
The Green party has selected Hannah Spencer, a Trafford councillor and plumber by trade, to run in the byelection, while Labour has selected Angeliki Stogia, a Manchester city councillor, and Reform picked Matthew Goodwin, a former academic who is now a GB News presenter and hard-right activist.
Polanski will be interviewed on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg politics programme shortly. Stick with us as we bring you the latest lines.
