August 5th – According to British media reports on the 5th, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is weighing whether to launch a public inquiry into the activities of the late American businessman Jeffrey Epstein in Britain.
Alex Davies-Jones, a junior minister at the UK Ministry of Justice, said on a BBC program that the government is examining the feasibility of launching a public inquiry, and Burnham has agreed to meet with Epstein’s victims.
On July 24th, Prime Minister Burnham (center) delivered a speech at “Number 10 Downing Street North” in Manchester. (Photo via UK Prime Minister’s Office)
The Epstein scandal continues to send shockwaves through UK politics and the royal family. Prince Andrew, brother of King Charles III, and Peter Mandelson, former UK ambassador to the US, were both arrested in connection with related cases. According to Reuters, British police are investigating multiple allegations linked to Epstein, including child sexual abuse and misconduct by public officials.
Davies-Jones said the government is also looking into whether to include allegations against Mohamed Al-Fayed, the late Egyptian billionaire and former owner of Harrods, in the inquiry. Al-Fayed has been accused by hundreds of victims of rape and sexual assault.
Epstein was convicted in the US in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from minors, arrested again in July 2019 on sex crime charges, and found dead in his US jail cell in August of that year. US authorities ruled his death a suicide, but widespread public skepticism remains. On January 30th of this year, the US Department of Justice released the final batch of Epstein case files, implicating numerous high-profile figures from the US, UK, and beyond.
