UK police review claims after Epstein emails surface (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: The police in London are reviewing a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office after emails were discovered which suggest that Lord Mandelson, when he was business secretary, sent market-sensitive information to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The correspondence is contained in more than three million documents released by the U.S. Justice Department relating to Epstein. All this springs from an email dating from 2010 in which it's alleged Peter Mandelson gave Epstein advanced warning of a planned 500 billion euro bailout from the EU to save the euro. The BBC has approached Lord Mandelson for comment. Meanwhile, Sarah Ferguson's charity, Sarah's Trust, announced it was closing for the foreseeable future after new revelations emerged about the former Duchess of York's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Emails suggest that she was in contact with him while he was in prison. And had asked for his advice about her business, the Mother's Army. Again, the BBC has contacted Ferguson for comment on the latest release. Being named among the Epstein files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Simon Jones begins our coverage.

[00:01:15] Speaker 2: From the Epstein files, new revelations about the length and strength of the friendship between Jeffrey Epstein and Sarah Ferguson. A friendship that has cost her her title Duchess of York and her charitable name. A friendship that has cost her her title Duchess of York and her charitable name. This email dated the 14th of June 2009 from a Sarah to Epstein asking for business advice was sent while he was still serving a prison sentence for child sex offences. Just over a month later, after his release, Sarah Ferguson emailed about meeting for lunch with her two daughters, who were then aged 20 and 19. What address shall we come to? It will be myself, Beatrice and Eugenie. Epstein had only been out of jail for five days. Sarah Ferguson has said...

[00:02:00] Speaker 3: In this room there are so many people that do so much to change people's lives and my job is to be an amplifier of your work.

[00:02:09] Speaker 2: This was Sarah Ferguson explaining the mission of her charity Sarah's Trust. Launched in 2020, it says it has helped almost 1.5 million children in 25 countries with education, healthcare and environmental projects. But now the work is over. In a statement, the charity said... The board of trustees have agreed that with regret, the charity will shortly close for the foreseeable future. This has been under discussion and in train for some months. We remain extremely proud of the work of the trust over recent years. There was no explanation for the closure. Sarah Ferguson's former husband, the former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was seen in the town yesterday. He's facing renewed calls to reveal more about his friendship with Epstein. He's always denied any wrongdoing. And Lord Mandelson... His association with Epstein has led the police to review reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to his friend when he was business secretary. The Met will assess whether the criminal threshold for investigation has been met. MPs have welcomed the review. It was treacherous.

[00:03:19] Speaker 4: It was the most appalling behaviour. I'm really profoundly distressed by it. It is so scandalous. Taking advantage of... If you're in the cabinet and you're essentially acting on behalf of people abroad against your own government, passing on secrets like, oh, the Prime Minister's about to resign, I finally persuaded him to, it's completely unforgivable.

[00:03:44] Speaker 2: Downing Street said the Prime Minister believes Lord Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use his title, but a new law would be required to remove a peerage. Lord Mandelson has not responded to requests for comment, but has previously questioned... ...the authenticity of some of the documents in the Epstein files. He says he regrets ever knowing Epstein. Simon Jones, BBC News.