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Prince Andrew: I didn’t have sex with teenager, I was at home after Pizza Express in Woking Duke of York claims alibi in interview with Emily Maitlis for Newsnight about Jeffrey Epstein linksPrince Andrew on the Epstein scandal – transcriptThe Duke of York claimed on Saturday night that he could not have had sex with a teenage girl in the London home of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell because he was at home after attending a children’s party at Pizza Express in Woking.Prince Andrew gave the startling explanation in a bombshell interview with Emily Maitlis for BBC’s Newsnight in which he was grilled about his relationship with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who has been exposed as a paedophile. Continue reading... Go to Source

Grenfell United raises concerns over cladding after Bolton student fire Campaign group wants national emergency to be called over building safety inaction Concerns have been raised over the cladding at a student accommodation building in Bolton where a fire spread “extremely rapidly”, gutting the upper floor.An investigation is under way into the cause of the blaze and calls are growing for an overhaul of UK fire safety regulations. Grenfell United, the group of survivors and bereaved people that formed after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, called for the declaration of a national emergency over the lack of action. Continue reading... Go to Source

Top lawyer calls Prince Andrew BBC interview 'a catastrophic error' Mark Stephens says such strategies only work ‘if you’ve got a full answer to every question’Prince Andrew’s decision to take part in a BBC interview on his relationship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein has been described as a “catastrophic error” by a top media lawyer.The Queen’s son has broken his silence on his friendship with the disgraced financier and allegations of a non-consensual sexual encounter with a 17-year-old, in a pre-recorded interview for Saturday evening’s Newsnight programme. Continue reading... Go to Source

Prince Andrew: I thought staying with Epstein was 'honourable thing' Royal says in BBC interview that in hindsight staying with sex offender was wrongPrince Andrew has said he regrets staying with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein but believed it was the “honourable” thing to do at the time. Related: Prince Andrew on friendship with Jeffrey Epstein: I let royals down Continue reading... Go to Source

Police assessing claims that Tories offered peerages to Brexit party Lord Falconer urges Met to look at allegations candidates were offered peerages to stand downGeneral election latest – live updatesScotland Yard is assessing two allegations of electoral fraud after claims the Tories offered peerages to senior Brexit party figures to persuade them to stand down in the general election.The Labour peer Lord Falconer has written to the Metropolitan police commissioner and director of public prosecutions calling for an investigation into what he said were “exceptionally serious allegations”. Continue reading... Go to Source

General election: focus on freedom of movement as Labour debates manifesto – live news Live coverage of the day on the campaign trail, including Labour meeting to decide its manifestoPolice assessing claims that Tories offered peerages to Brexit partyLib Dems criticised for selective use of polling data on leafletsGary Younge: the view from StevenageSign up for Andrew Sparrow’s weekday election briefing email 11.31am GMTThe shadow cabinet and other senior figures are slowly arriving at the party’s clause V meeting in London, and have had their own messages for protesters calling on Labour to back freedom of movement. But who had the best response? The leader of Unite the Union, Len McCluskey, arriving moments after Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, approache...

Bolton fire: two injured in large blaze at student building Witnesses describe flames ‘crawling up cladding’ of six-storey building on BradshawgateTwo people have been injured in a large fire at a student accommodation building in Bolton.Images posted on social media showed firefighters tackling the blaze on the top floors of a six-storey building known as the Cube on Bradshawgate at about 8.30pm on Friday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Prince Andrew on friendship with Jeffrey Epstein: I let royals down Prince speaks publicly for first time about paedophile financier found dead in prisonPrince Andrew has said that he failed to uphold the standards of the royal family when he visited Jeffrey Epstein after the paedophile’s release from prison, admitting: “I let the side down, simple as that.”The prince made the statement in an interview with the BBC’s Newsnight programme, the first time he has spoken publicly about his friendship with Epstein, to be broadcast on Saturday night. Continue reading... Go to Source