Inquiry into Andrew’s links to Jeffrey Epstein is matter for MPs, says No 10

A parliamentary inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Jeffrey Epstein is a matter for MPs, Downing Street has said, as ministers faced a new push to uncover details about the former prince’s role as a trade envoy.It comes as the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, wrote to Keir Starmer to say his country would have no objection to Mountbatten-Windsor being removed from the royal line of succession.No 10 said it was “not ruling anything out” in terms of the succession, which would require an act of parliament, plus the agreement of all 14 Commonwealth realms who have King Charles as their head of state.After Andrew’s arrest last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office, new details have emerged about his actions as an unpaid trade envoy from 2001 to 2011 and his ties to Epstein, the late financier and child sex offender.Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative MP and former security minister, said at the weekend that parliament needed to examine Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein, as well as those of Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the US who on Monday evening was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.Asked earlier if such an inquiry should take place, Starmer’s official spokesperson said: “This is a matter for parliament, not government, that we should remain mindful of the ongoing investigation in this case, and it’s right that the police investigation takes its course.”On Tuesday, the Liberal Democrats plan to use an opposition day debate to seek more information about the trade envoy position. One option could be to use a humble address motion to force the release of official documents, as the Conservatives successfully did with Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador.“There are major questions the government needs to answer over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s role as trade envoy, and how he was seemingly able to act with impunity. The Liberal Democrats will be using our opposition day to force this debate into the open,” a Lib Dem spokesperson said, without giving details about what this might involve.“Parliament cannot be expected to look the other way. We must be able to debate this fully without fear or favour, while not prejudicing the ongoing police investigation.”Changing the line of succession would be likely to take time given the need to get approval from all 14 Commonwealth nations. While he has given up his royal titles, Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne.In his letter to Starmer, Albanese wrote: “In light of recent events concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, I am writing to confirm that my government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession.“I agree with his majesty that the law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation. These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously.”Asked about what would happen next, Starmer’s spokesperson said: “We’re considering whether further steps are required in relation to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and we’re not ruling anything out, but given the ongoing police investigation, it wouldn’t be appropriate for the government to comment further at this stage.”