Angela Rayner called Prince Andrew ‘that nonce’ in astonishing rant amid Jeffrey Epstein scandal
ANGELA Rayner called Prince Andrew “that nonce” in an astonishing rant after his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was exposed, according to a new book.
Referring to discussions on whether to dump Andrew from the monarchy, she reportedly said: “I’m not going to vote to keep that nonce on…
“I can’t go back to my constituency and say, yeah, I support that.”
The most damaging comment from a senior MP about a member of the royal family was today revealed in a book about Keir Starmer’s Labour.
In a chapter on Rayner, from the book titled Get In, authors Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund tell how forcefully the now Deputy Prime Minister dealt with royal issues after the Queen died.
As the opposition’s Commons spokeswoman on questions relating to the monarchy, she reportedly advocated excluding Andrew from royal duties entirely after allegations emerged he sexually abused a 17-year-old and had a close relationship with Epstein — which he has denied.
In 2022, Andrew paid accuser Virginia Giuffre an undisclosed sum, reported to be £12million, to settle her claim for sex assault without admission of wrongdoing.
According to her adviser, Ms Rayner, 44, said: “I know how difficult it is to be in a big, dysfunctional family where you’ve got the black sheep, they’re damaging to you but they’re still your family.”
But she wanted him gone. In the book, an adviser recalled: “She was very actively reaching out to the Palace, and said she thought this was a huge problem, and that the Government needed to address it.
“She’s not anti-monarchist, but she doesn’t like a paedo.”
After her comments, Ms Rayner was said to have been summoned for a Zoom meeting with Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.
The book claims: “After that conversation, she went quiet. She never ever spoke about the royals like that again.”
It comes after emails emerged this week of Andrew telling Epstein in February 2011 to “keep in close touch”, despite claiming in his Newsnight interview that he ceased contact in 2010.
Details also emerged of his relationship with alleged spy Yang Tengbo.
US lawyer Spencer Kurvin, who has represented Epstein’s victims, last night said the King should “hand over Andrew for the FBI to fully investigate his conduct”.