Burnham considering public inquiry into UK activities of Jeffrey Epstein

Andy Burnham is considering launching a public inquiry into the UK activities of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a minister has said.The victims minister, Alex Davies-Jones, said the prime minister had agreed to meet Epstein’s victims, was “looking into” an inquiry and was “taking this very seriously”. A separate inquiry into the alleged actions of the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed is also being considered.Asked if a public inquiry was on the table, Davies-Jones told BBC Newsnight: “We are looking into this, we are reviewing what is possible … same with Harrods survivors. We already have a statutory inquiry under way for the grooming gangs victims. I have been assured that the prime minister is taking this very seriously.“He will meet with those victims and he is looking at what is possible, now he has access to all of the information as prime minister, to see … what action we can take.”More than 400 allegations of sexual abuse have been made against Fayed, from 1977 to 2014, including claims of rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.The Metropolitan police are investigating allegations from at least 156 complainants including 21 who came forward before Fayed died in 2023.Davies-Jones, who returned as victims minister under Burnham’s premiership, said she had sought assurances before rejoining government that victims would always be prioritised.“I was having multiple conversations with him and his team,” Davies-Jones said. “He agreed to meet with the Epstein victims. He was in close contact with them throughout that period where he was becoming prime minister, and he has assured me that he will meet them now he’s prime minister and will work with us to look at systemic change across the system for all victims, whether that be the Epstein victims, Harrods survivors, grooming gangs victims.”She added: “What more can we do to truly make sure that our criminal justice system is taking victims seriously, that they can rebuild that faith and trust in the system again? I have had assurances from the prime minister that he’s willing to do that and make that happen.”After quitting Keir Starmer’s government and calling on him to resign in May, Davies-Jones urged the former prime minister to meet survivors of Epstein’s abuse.At the end of June, Starmer told the survivor and campaigner Lisa Phillips his “door is open” but stopped short of agreeing to meet her. Instead, she was offered a meeting with the former chief secretary to the prime minister, Darren Jones, and Davies-Jones.