Gordon Brown urges police probe into Andrew’s RAF use

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has asked six UK police forces to investigate whether Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor used taxpayer‑funded jets and RAF bases to meet Jeffrey Epstein, while also calling for scrutiny of the costs and controls around Andrew’s decade as a government trade envoy. BBC reporting, republished by Yahoo on 22 February 2026, says Brown has filed a five‑page memorandum setting out new information for officers. (sg.news.yahoo.com)

Brown’s letters suggest that civil servants and airfield staff with knowledge of permissions and official travel should be interviewed as part of any inquiry. Forces now examining Epstein‑linked claims include the Metropolitan Police, Thames Valley Police, Surrey Police and Essex Police, with others liaising as needed, according to the Guardian. (theguardian.com)

For context, Andrew served as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment from 2001 to 2011, a role created to promote British business abroad and traditionally unpaid. The position sat alongside government trade bodies and diplomatic posts. (en.wikipedia.org)

Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex‑trafficking charges. Denials remain a key part of the picture as police assess claims. (efe.com)

One flight drawing renewed attention is a short hop on 7 December 2000 from Luton to RAF Marham in Norfolk, roughly 20 miles from Sandringham. Flight logs list Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and an unnamed “1 female” among the passengers; the party left the UK two days later from Norwich. (yahoo.com)

When asked by the BBC about such landings in 2025 and again this week, the Ministry of Defence reiterated that limited civilian use of RAF airfields can be approved when it does not affect operations or security, with fees covering costs. (sg.news.yahoo.com)

Emails from the US “Epstein files” add a paper trail. In 2011, after a Telegraph journalist asked whether Andrew had secured military‑base access, Ghislaine Maxwell forwarded the question to Epstein. He replied, “just spoke to Larry… it’s true,” referring to his chief pilot; Maxwell responded with an expletive. (sg.news.yahoo.com)

Brown has also asked police to look at whether any RAF access was granted even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida. Separately, the Financial Times reports documents showing a jet linked to Epstein landed at RAF Northolt on 18 March 2013, prompting fresh calls in Parliament for MoD transparency. (ft.com)

Across the UK, forces are conducting initial assessments to decide if full criminal investigations are warranted. The Guardian reports that Thames Valley Police are considering two separate claims involving Andrew, Surrey Police are assessing another, and Essex Police have confirmed they are examining flights through Stansted; other forces are reviewing activity at Luton, Birmingham and Edinburgh. (theguardian.com)

On 19 February 2026, Thames Valley Police arrested Andrew on suspicion of misconduct in public office and released him under investigation later that day after nearly 11 hours in custody. He has not been charged. (efe.com)

If you’re wondering what “released under investigation” means, it is when police release a suspect without charge while enquiries continue, usually without bail conditions or fixed time limits. Reporting in The Times notes this can last months as digital devices are examined and witness evidence gathered. (thetimes.com)

A note on records and accountability: the Financial Times reports that RAF passenger manifests are typically destroyed after three months and daily movement sheets are kept for about two years, which may complicate efforts to reconstruct historic journeys; The Times says investigators are already confronting gaps and are seeking alternative sources. MPs are urging the MoD to disclose what it still holds. (ft.com)

For you as a reader and for classrooms using this as a case study, the sequence is important: police assess, then decide whether to open a full investigation, and only then could a file go to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision. Meanwhile, reporting says searches have continued at Royal Lodge in Windsor, and Brown’s memo keeps the spotlight on process over rumour. (theguardian.com)