Prince Andrew has again been making headlines, following the release of Virginia Giuffre‘s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl. The fallout of the claims made in the book has seen him hand back his most well-known title – the Duke of York – and questions have arisen about his taxpayer-funded home, Royal Lodge. With all this growing scrutiny, members of the public (and MPs alike) had hoped for a debate on what to do next – but the government has rejected this.
To recap, the government controls the Commons timetable, essentially setting the agenda on what MPs do and don’t have time to debate. Despite Downing Street rejecting suggestions that it is “blocking” a debate on Andrew’s titles and financial affairs, the BBC confirmed the government had refused to give MPs time to do so.
“We know that the Royal Family would not want to take time from other important issues,” the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said in response.
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The government’s decision comes amidst calls from several MPs who want Andrew’s Royal Lodge lease discussed at a select committee inquiry. Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey wants the ex-Duke of York to be pulled in front of MPs to give evidence about his agreed lease, which means he only pays a token amount of rent annually.
Reacting to the comments made by Kier Starmer’s team, Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart said the “government should be making time for MPs to debate issues surrounding Prince Andrew’s lease of Royal Lodge.”
“Transparency is vital when it comes to how taxpayers’ money is spent,” she argued, adding that: “The public understandably wants answers.”
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Jade Biggs (she/her) is one of Cosmopolitan UK’s freelance writers, working across all sections including entertainment, beauty, body, and sex and relationships. She previously held the position of Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and the latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. Jade has a degree in journalism and has been a journalist and content editor for ten years, interviewing leading researchers, high-profile influencers, and industry experts in that time. She is a cat mom to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches, and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.