1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Already and this is the Daily Art, this is the 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Daily oas. 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 2: Oh, now it makes sense. Good morning and welcome to 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: the Daily Ours. It's Thursday, the twelfth of February. I'm 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 2: Emma Gillespie. 6 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: I'm Emily Donahue. 7 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: UK Prime Minister Kirs Starmer is at the center of 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: the latest Epstein controversy after a scandal involving his former 9 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 2: ambassador to the US and the late sex offender. Senior 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 2: political figures have called on Starmer to quit, but the 11 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 2: British PM says he will never walk away from the job. 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 2: Today we are going to unpack what's happened, who's involved, 13 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 2: and why Starmer's leadership is in doubt. 14 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: Another week another Epstein revelation feels that way. M Yes, 15 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: but this story is a pretty big deal in UK 16 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: politics right now, Before we get into what's happened, can 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: you bring us up to speed with some background about 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: the Epstein files. 19 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 2: Absolutely so. Jeffrey Epstein, of course, was an American hedge 20 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,199 Speaker 2: fund manager and convicted sex offender. He served thirteen months 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,199 Speaker 2: in prison for child sex trafficking in two thousand and eight. 22 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,479 Speaker 2: He served that time, then he was released, and then 23 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: eventually arrested again on new sex trafficking charges in twenty nineteen. 24 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: At that point, he was denied bail, and a short 25 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 2: time later he died by suicide in his jail cell 26 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 2: while awaiting trial. Now, Epstein was friends with a raft 27 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: of influential figures, high profile politicians, celebrities, wealthy individuals, many 28 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 2: whose relationships with him have been in the spotlight in 29 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 2: recent years, and some who've been accused of engaging in 30 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: sexual crimes with Epstein. Several of them are named in 31 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: these millions of documents that we now know as the 32 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 2: Epstein files. 33 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, and a new tranch of files has dropped recently, 34 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: which is why there have been so many Epstein headlines lately. 35 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 2: Exactly Epstein headlines persist, but that's why at the moment 36 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 2: it's particularly saturated. So late last month, the US Department 37 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 2: of Justice released millions of files relating to Epstein. And 38 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: these are documents that include emails, letters, photos, other communications 39 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: all between Epstein and various people in his network. 40 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, and these latest files include some pretty damaging revelations 41 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: about a British politician called Peter Mandelson. Who is he 42 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: and what is his connection to all of this? 43 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: Yeah? Peter Mandelson has been a senior figure in the 44 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: UK Labor Party for several decades, so stretching right back 45 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: to the early two thousands, when he served in cabinet 46 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 2: positions and until pretty recently he was actually the UK's 47 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 2: ambassador to the US, a role that he was appointed 48 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 2: to in February twenty twenty five. But Mandelsson has also 49 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: been tied to Epstein, which is not exactly new information. 50 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 2: We first heard about this between twenty nineteen and twenty 51 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: twenty four, So there were several media reports during that 52 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 2: time I'm linking Mandelssohn to Epstein, and that included images 53 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 2: of them together and email exchanges. 54 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: Right, So Mandilson became ambassador in February last year, which 55 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: means the alleged links to Epstein, as you said, twenty 56 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty twenty four, were already public knowledge, and Starmer 57 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: appointed him when those were already public knowledge. Yeah, but 58 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: that was a year ago. So when did things escalate? 59 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 2: So this story really intensified in September last year, and 60 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 2: that's when more correspondents between Mandelssohn and Epstein became public. So, firstly, 61 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: a US Congressional committee released what's been called a birthday book. 62 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 2: You might have heard about it last year. It was 63 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: basically this kind of big scrap book put together by 64 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: Glaine Maxwell. Now she is the former girlfriend of Epstein 65 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: and a convicted sex offender herself. But basically it was 66 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 2: this collection of birthday wishes that Maxwell had gathered from 67 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 2: Epstein's network, including people like Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, 68 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: all for Epstein's fiftieth birthday in two thousand and three. Now, 69 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 2: the book also contained a ten page message from Mandelssohn 70 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: to his quote unquote best pal Epstein as well. 71 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: Okay, So, one of the reasons this piece of information 72 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: is so interesting is that it gives us more of 73 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: an understanding of Epstein and Mandelson's relationship. A ten page 74 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: birthday message to your best pal indicates quite a close friendship. 75 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: You'd have to. 76 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 2: Think, Yeah, exactly ten pages worth of a birthday message 77 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 2: is pretty significant. We have also seen leaked emails between 78 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 2: Mandlsson and Epstein from before, during, and after Epstein's prison 79 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: sentence for sex trafficking in June two thousand and eight, 80 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 2: when he was behind bus for thirteen months. So, for example, 81 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 2: after learning of Epstein's sentence, Mandelssohn wrote to him saying, quote, 82 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 2: I think the world of view and I feel hopeless 83 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: and furious about what has happened. Following the publication of 84 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 2: these emails in September last year, the UK government removed 85 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 2: Mandelssohn from the ambassador position, so he was no longer 86 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 2: ambassador to the US from that point, and the government 87 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 2: at the time said the emails showed quote the depth 88 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 2: and extent of Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is 89 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: materially different from that known at the time of his appointment. 90 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 2: Mandelssohn told The Sun at the time he quote never 91 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 2: saw the wrongdoing by Epstein, perhaps because I am a 92 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 2: gay man. 93 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: That's an interesting defense. So that was in September last year. 94 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: What happened next, well. 95 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: At the end of January, as we know, the US 96 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,919 Speaker 2: Department of Justice released millions more documents relating to the 97 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: Epstein files, and that included more emails between Mandelson and Epstein. 98 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 2: Among them is an exchange on the day Epstein was 99 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: released from prison in July two thousand and nine, which 100 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 2: I wanted to quickly read out. So Epstein emails Mandelsson 101 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: saying free and home. Mandelson, who was the UK Secretary 102 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 2: of State for Business and Trade at the time. He 103 00:05:55,680 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 2: replies saying, how shall we celebrate? Epstein then writes quote 104 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 2: with grace and modesty. Those are the names of two strippers. 105 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,919 Speaker 2: Mandalsson writes back, from now on, grace and modesty should 106 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 2: be discovered in London. How is freedom feeling? She feels fresh, 107 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 2: firm and creamy, Epstein says. Mandleson responds with naughty boy delightful. 108 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 2: So yeah, and that kind of tone I think m 109 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 2: as crass as it is. It is important to note 110 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: it appears across several other emails between the pair. They 111 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 2: exchange sexual references suggestive jokes across a few different other 112 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: email chains. But separately to that, the pair also discussed 113 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 2: the inner workings of UK Parliament. As I mentioned, Mandalshon 114 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: was a senior minister at the time, and Epstein gave 115 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 2: Mandelssohn advice about how to approach certain political issues. It's 116 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 2: also believed that the pair spoke regularly over the phone. 117 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 2: There are plenty of emails from each of them that 118 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: say call me, so we know what they've said to 119 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 2: each other via email, but we'll never really know what 120 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 2: they said over the phone. But they certainly were in 121 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 2: regular communication across several different mediums. 122 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: Sounds like it, and some of the emails suggests that 123 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: Mandison had leaked discussions on possible UK asset sales and 124 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: tax changes to Epstein during the two thousand and nine 125 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: financial crash, which I'm sure many people remember. This is 126 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: a really serious allegation because it suggests Mandlsson was sharing 127 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: confidential government information at the time. 128 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're right, and officials in the UK are treating 129 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 2: it as such as a serious matter because a few 130 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: days after the latest Epstein file drop, London's Metropolitan Police, 131 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: also known as the met launched an investigation into Mandleshn, 132 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 2: sparked by the DOJ release. The METS said it received 133 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 2: reports into alleged misconduct in public office, including from the 134 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 2: UK government itself, and now ultimately that has sparked this 135 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:56,119 Speaker 2: criminal investigation into whether or not Mandelson acted unlawfully as 136 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: a minister at the time. 137 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: And I want to hear about how Mandilson has responded 138 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: to all of this, but first we'll be back in 139 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: a minute after a quick word from today's sponsor. Has 140 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: Mandalson responded to any of those allegations. 141 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 2: So the day after the met launched this investigation. Mandalsshon 142 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 2: actually stepped down from the House of Lords, so he 143 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 2: was no longer ambassador, but he still held that position, 144 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 2: and his spokesperson told the BBC this week that he 145 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: quote did not discover the truth about Epstein until after 146 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 2: his death, and that Mandalson is profoundly sorry that powerless 147 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 2: and vulnerable women and girls were not given the protection 148 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 2: they deserved. Mandalshn hasn't actually commented directly or publicly himself. 149 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 2: He hasn't addressed the allegations about the leaked documents, but 150 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 2: that is what we have heard for now from his team. 151 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: Right. Okay, So these new revelations have led to criticism 152 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 1: then of the current UK Prime Minister. So where does 153 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: Kirstarma fit into all of this and what's been happening 154 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: over the past week or so. 155 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: Yes, so last week Starma issued an apology to Epstein's victims, 156 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,719 Speaker 2: and that followed the latest release of files. There are 157 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 2: these big questions now over how much Starmer knew or 158 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 2: if Starmer knew something and chose to ignore it when 159 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 2: deciding to appoint Mandelsson to the ambassador position. Starmer said 160 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 2: that Mandelsson quote portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew, 161 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 2: and when that became clear that it was not true, 162 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 2: I sacked him. So Starmer says that Mandalsshon distanced himself 163 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 2: from Epstein, but that these files show that the relationship 164 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 2: was closer. But the fallout for Starmer has been huge. 165 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 2: Those comments didn't really cut it with his government. On Sunday, 166 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,959 Speaker 2: his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned from his position, 167 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 2: taking quote full responsibility for Mendelssohn's appointment. The next day, 168 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 2: Starmer's head of communications, a guy called Tim Allen, also 169 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 2: stepped down, and The Guardian reported that he had decided 170 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: to stand down to quote allow a new number ten 171 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 2: team to be built, referring to the PM's office in 172 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 2: London at ten Downing Street. 173 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. Right, So they had two senior resignations in two days. 174 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,439 Speaker 1: But multiple MPs, including from Starma's own labor party, have 175 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: also called on him to resign. And what have those 176 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: politicians said. 177 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: It's all a similar rhetoric and what we heard from 178 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 2: Scottish Labor leader and Assawa kind of sums it up. 179 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 2: He said, quote, we cannot allow the failures at the 180 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 2: heart of Downing Street to mean the failures continue and 181 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 2: continue here in Scotland there he's an election coming up there, 182 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 2: so that is some important context in terms of opposition 183 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 2: politicians who have weighed in. We heard from leader of 184 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 2: the Conservative Party Reform UK, Nigel Faraj. He said he 185 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 2: believes Starmer will resign it before very long. 186 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: Interesting and how has Starma responded to all of this. 187 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 2: Well, he's coming out fighting. Starma has given a really 188 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: defiant speech. Here's a little bit of what he said yesterday. 189 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 3: I will never walk away from the mandate I was 190 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: given to change this company. I will never walk away 191 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 3: from the people that I'm charged with fighting for, and 192 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 3: I will never walk away from the country that I love. 193 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 2: He goes on to kind of say that the real 194 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,599 Speaker 2: danger confronting the UK right now is not this infighting 195 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 2: within his own party, within the Labor Party, but that 196 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 2: there is this right wing opposition that he describes as 197 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 2: having this politics of divide and grievance that he said 198 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 2: will tear our country apart. 199 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: So Starmer has tried to shift the focus away from 200 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: his own party and the tensions have appeared to aveast. 201 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 2: Is that right, Yeah, for now things seem to aveast 202 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 2: somewhat Starmer's top senior ministers have said that they are 203 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:45,239 Speaker 2: backing him as leader. Importantly, there were some potential leadership rivals. 204 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 2: Whenever we hear rumors about a leadership challenge, you know, 205 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 2: then the conversation turns to well, who would replace him. 206 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 2: One of those rivals was former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, 207 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 2: and she has backed Starmer's leadership. Another possible contender for 208 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 2: the leadership was Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. He's also 209 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 2: now said that he supports Starmer, and Energy Secretary Ed 210 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 2: Milliband said that Labour MP's quote had looked over the 211 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 2: precipice and they didn't like what they saw and they 212 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 2: thought the right thing was to unite behind Keir. 213 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: Right, And before we wrap up, I think it's also 214 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 1: important to mention that this scandal has once again touched 215 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: the royal family. So what is the latest there. 216 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. Separately, police have also announced an investigation into the 217 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: former Prince Andrew for allegedly sharing confidential material with Epstein. 218 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 2: Of course, many many unanswered questions about Andrew's relationship with Epstein. 219 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 2: Buckingham Palace has responded, though they released a statement on 220 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 2: Monday confirming the Palace will support a police investigation if needed. 221 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 2: A spokesperson for Prince William and Princess Kate also weighed in, 222 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 2: telling media that the pair were quote deeply concerned by 223 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 2: the continuing revelations. Trick from the royal family in recent 224 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 2: weeks has really centered around victims and supporting victims and 225 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 2: survivors of sexual abuse. So that's the kind of language 226 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 2: that they've been using. But the Epstein files clearly continue 227 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 2: to raise so many questions about who knew what and when, 228 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: not just in the US, but clearly around the world 229 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:21,439 Speaker 2: as we're seeing. 230 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, and there's plenty going on in the UK right now, 231 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 1: But what is the next step then? For Kis Starmer. 232 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 2: The key question now is going to be whether or 233 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 2: not he did proper due diligence before appointing Mandleson to 234 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 2: that ambassador role. You know, given that some of the 235 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 2: connections to Epstein were already out in the public, you 236 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 2: know what kind of processes were undertaken by Starmer and 237 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 2: the broader government to decide that Mandelsson was the right 238 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 2: person for the job. So they'll continue to be questions 239 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 2: about his leadership. I think we can expect as he 240 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 2: navigates those next steps. Starmer has said that he's committed 241 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 2: to transparency, that he'll release documents about the appointment process 242 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: to Parliament as soon as possible, so he's trying to 243 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 2: be on the right side of this. But for now 244 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 2: he has managed to hold on to his position. He 245 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 2: has the support of his party, but this is far 246 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 2: from over, especially with the ongoing investigation into Mandelssohn with 247 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 2: the met Police. We will wait and see. 248 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: It, yeah, we definitely will. But thank you for breaking 249 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: it down Emma, and thank you for listening to us 250 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: at the Daily Ods. We'll be back with the latest 251 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: headlines later this afternoon, but until then, have a good one. 252 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 3: My name is Lily Madden and I'm a proud Arunda 253 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 3: Bunje Lung Kalkotin woman from gadigl country. The Daily oz 254 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 3: acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on the lands of 255 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 3: the Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and 256 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 3: Torres Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to 257 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 3: the first peoples of these countries, both past and present.