Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged the Metropolitan Police to conduct an urgent interview with Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and to reassess its investigation into the trafficking of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims in the UK. This plea follows a comprehensive BBC investigation that revealed 87 flights associated with the convicted sex offender had traversed UK airports between the early 1990s and 2018, with some involving British women alleging abuse.
New Revelations from Gordon Brown
In a recent article for the New Statesman, Brown expressed his shock after reviewing the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice. He stated, “What I discovered about the abuse of women by male predators and their enablers—and Britain’s as yet unacknowledged role—has shocked me to the core.” He emphasised that the scale of trafficking could become clearer if the police were to investigate the flights linked to Epstein more thoroughly.
Brown pointed to the BBC’s findings that women were frequently transferred between Epstein’s planes, with numerous flight logs listing passengers only as unnamed “females.” He lamented that British authorities appear to have been unaware of the trafficking activities occurring through UK airspace, asserting, “In short, British authorities had little or no idea who was being trafficked through our country, and for whom other than Epstein.”
Urgent Re-examination of Evidence Needed
Brown has formally requested the Metropolitan Police to revisit their decision-making process regarding their investigation into Epstein and its related reviews. He noted that many women mentioned in the Epstein files, whose names should have been pursued by investigators, remain uncontacted. “I have been told privately that the investigations related to the former Prince Andrew did not properly check vital evidence of flights,” he added, insisting that this oversight warrants a renewed inquiry.
Specifically, he highlighted Stansted Airport as a key location where women were allegedly moved from one of Epstein’s planes to another, stating that these revelations necessitate Prince Andrew’s interview.
The Lack of a Comprehensive Investigation
The absence of a thorough investigation into Epstein’s activities in the UK has drawn criticism from various quarters. Last year, US lawyers representing numerous victims of Epstein expressed their dismay at the lack of a comprehensive UK inquiry into the financier’s actions. One British woman, known as Kate, who testified against Ghislaine Maxwell, was reported to have been on over ten flights to and from the UK funded by Epstein between 1999 and 2006. Her lawyer, Brad Edwards, noted that she has never been contacted by British law enforcement.
Brown remarked that a police investigation into Kate’s situation could potentially uncover Epstein’s enablers in the UK and ascertain whether any associates shielded him from scrutiny.
Ongoing Assessments by UK Police
In a recent statement, Thames Valley Police confirmed they are actively evaluating allegations that Epstein sent a second woman to the UK for sex with Prince Andrew in Windsor in 2010. A spokesperson stated, “We are assessing the information and following established procedures to seek further information with law enforcement partners in the United States.”
Why it Matters
As the conversation around accountability and justice for Epstein’s victims intensifies, the potential for a renewed investigation into Prince Andrew’s connections to the convicted sex offender could have substantial implications. It raises critical questions about the responsibilities of authorities in safeguarding vulnerable individuals and holding powerful figures accountable for their actions. The public and legal scrutiny surrounding this matter serves as a vital reminder of the need for transparency and justice in cases of sexual exploitation.
