Gordon Brown has disclosed that he ordered Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be questioned about incurring "unacceptable costs" as a trade envoy in 2008, and has called for the police to expand their inquiry to include the use of public funds.
The former prime minister stated that he asked a colleague from the business department to challenge Mountbatten-Windsor regarding his travel expenses. In an article for the New Statesman, Brown noted that the former prince frequently used RAF flights, and his response to the query was to ask whether the government genuinely expected him to travel on commercial airlines.
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office as part of a police investigation into his dealings with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has been released under investigation and denies any wrongdoing. The police have been evaluating allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy.
Brown's Call for Broader Investigation
Brown, who served as prime minister from 2007 to 2010, argued that the investigation should also scrutinise Mountbatten-Windsor's use of public funds. "Police must now interview officials and ask for records from three government departments – the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign Office – all involved in managing his trips while serving as UK trade envoy," he wrote in the New Statesman.
"While serving as trade envoy, the former prince regularly used RAF flights. We must now question whether public funds were used in pursuit not just of his public duties but of his alleged private liaisons and even private business arrangements," Brown added.
Furthermore, Brown revealed that when he was chancellor, the then prince requested a separate fleet of aeroplanes, funded by public money, independent of the RAF. Brown turned down this request and informed the queen. "Emails in the Epstein files show the then prince claiming credit for having secured the privatisation of helicopters used by the royal family. Now, Andrew wanted the same arrangement for airplanes. The costs seemed prohibitive. I turned down his proposal and reported directly to the queen that the country could not afford such a plan," Brown wrote.
Wider Implications and Police Responses
Brown has called for authorities to re-interview Andrew not only regarding potential breaches of the Official Secrets Act but also concerning his use of public funds and any links to allegations that Epstein trafficked women into the UK. He highlighted reports from the Epstein files about incidents where women were allegedly brought to UK locations such as Sandringham and Buckingham Palace, possibly trafficked by Epstein.
The Guardian previously reported that British police forces are considering whether flights linked to Epstein that arrived and departed from British airports warrant a full criminal investigation, in case they were involved in trafficking women into the UK for abuse. The six forces considering these claims are Bedfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, West Midlands, the Metropolitan Police, and Police Scotland.
A Metropolitan police spokesperson told the New Statesman they were "aware of reporting regarding properties in London linked to Jeffrey Epstein and allegations that women living in them were victims of sexual abuse." However, no complaints have been made by any women involved.
Brown concluded: "The king has said that no one should be above the law, and alongside the police investigation, a select committee in parliament should examine how public funds were used, and whether a cover-up took place that prevented Andrew from being interviewed by US investigators."
Mountbatten-Windsor has been approached for comment.
