UK’s chief prosecutor warns Royals like Andrew are not above the law

The UK’s top prosecutor has warned “nobody is above the law” as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faces a police probe over alleged leaks to Jeffrey Epstein.

Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, said “no, of course not” when asked whether he thought the Royals were above the law. He added that he has “total confidence” the police will be independent.

It comes as Thames Valley Police examine claims that Andrew shared confidential reports while in his role as the UK’s trade envoy with the paedophile financier.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: “Nobody is above the law…It’s my job to enforce the law, and I do so without fear or favour, and that is unaffected by the status of the individual concerned.”

The warning from Mr Parkinson comes as evidence of the former prince’s alleged involvement with Epstein has mounted, with more revelations published in the latest tranche of Epstein files.

According to emails released by the US Department of Justice, Andrew appeared to have forwarded official reports on trips to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Vietnam in 2010 and 2011 to Epstein, when he was a government trade envoy. Trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality.

Thames Valley Police’s prosecution will look into whether the sharing of this information constitutes misconduct in public office.

Lord Peter Mandelson, the disgraced former UK ambassador to the US, also faces a police probe over allegations he sent market-sensitive information to Epstein while he was business secretary during the financial crisis.

The Metropolitan Police have searched two of Lord Mandelson’s properties as part of their investigation.

Mr Parkinson told The Sunday Times that misconduct in public office was a relatively popular offence with which to charge a public officer.

He said: “From my perspective, I don’t find it a difficult offence to prosecute because the core of it is a gross breach of trust by someone performing the function of a public officer.”

If Andrew were to be charged after a new police investigation, he would become the first royal in modern times to face trial over a serious offence.

Last week, Prince William and Princess Kate spoke out publicly for the first time regarding the ongoing revelations, saying they are “deeply concerned” by the scandal, and their thoughts are with the victims.

Student loan architect calls for graduates to pay less interest

One of the architects of the student loan system has said that interest rates should be lowered as debate over the loans intensifies.

Nick Hillman was a special advisor to former universities minister Lord Willetts when tuition fees tripled under the government’s “Plan 2 Loans”, which were created for graduates who started university between 2012 and 2023.

Speaking toThe Times , Mr Willman admitted the system was created in a “mad rush” in 2010 while the government was under pressure from voters to save money. He said: “We’d had a general election where every single major political party… had promised to exempt some areas of public spending.

“They’d said ‘we’re not going to cut pensions and we’re not going to cut defence and we’re not going to cut science’, so the bits of government that were not protected, and that included higher education… had to take swingeing cuts.”

Under the loans, graduates who started between 2012 and 2023 are charged interest at RPI plus up to 3 per cent, despite the Office for National Statistics ruling in 2013 that RPI was “no longer fit for purpose”.

Mr Hillman told Times Radio on Sunday that it “makes sense” to change interest rates from Retail Price Index (RPI) to Consumer Price Index (CPI), with RPI being higher than CPI.

CPI is the current official measure of inflation for the UK and is used for taxes and benefits.

“Since we designed the system, the Office for National Statistics has said RPI should not be used for any government policies. It’s a very bad measure of inflation,” he said.

According to The Sunday Times, No 10 is in talks with the Treasury and Department for Education about how to reform the current student loan system.

In November 2025, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her budget that the threshold for which Plan 2 student loans must be paid back would be frozen at £29,385 for three years starting from April 2027, instead of rising with inflation each year. Graduates begin repaying nine per cent of their income above this threshold.

The freeze means more graduates will start making repayments as they are dragged over the threshold earlier than they would have been if it were rising with inflation.

Last week, a group of graduates dressed as sharks protested outside Parliament and accused the government of acting like “loan sharks”.

Ms Reeves has defended the system, describing it in January as “fair and reasonable.”

The Department for Education was approached for comment.

Inside the underground bunkers ready to protect Helsinki from Putin

A thick granite wall designed to withstand multiple blasts separates the two heavy metal doors at the entrance to Merihaka shelter in central Helsinki.

In an emergency, after passing through this double entryway, local residents arrive in a sealed decontamination chamber where there are taps and showers to wash toxic materials from clothing, before passing through into the main bunker cut deep into the bedrock 25 metres below Finland’s capital.

Merihaka is just one of many in Helsinki’s vast network of underground shelters – with winding tunnels and expansive chambers – designed to withstand a nuclear attack, as well as heavy shelling, and capable of holding hundreds of thousands of people.

“We are prepared,” Nina Järvenkylä from the Helsinki Rescue Department tells The Independent as she gestures to the neatly stacked bunk beds and line of dry toilets. “If there’s a war, we know what to do.”

In the event of an attack, the bunker can hold up to 2,000 people – although at full capacity it would be cramped with bunks three beds high – and can be fully sealed thanks to its ventilation system.

The halls can be divided by curtains to create separate spaces for children, privacy for the elderly, or to administer first aid.

Given the proximity to Russia (the countries share a 1,343km long border from Lapland in the north to Karelia in the south) and a turbulent history, Finland’s preparedness for conflict is perhaps unsurprising.

“We have had 80 years to prepare,” adds Järvenkylä. A shelter system has been in place in Helsinki since the Second World War, during which time Finland lost the eastern province of Karelia to Russia, and the city has been continually strengthening the system since.

The occupation of Crimea in 2014 and Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 highlighted the possibility of traditional warfare, shaping the Finnish government’s shift to a strategy of comprehensive security, with a capacity to protect all members of the population in the event of military threat.

Common with a number of shelters across Helsinki, the Merihaka bunker has a double use, with a number of the halls fitted with sports facilities, a cafe and a children’s play area.

The space is rented out by the city on the agreement that it can be cleared within 72 hours in the event of an emergency.

The process is clear: a city-wide siren will sound (this is tested on the first Monday of every month) and an app alert will be sent out to mobile phones – at which point all Helsinki residents are advised to gather a backpack of food, medicine, toys for children, and any personal belongings, and head to their nearest shelter.

There is a designated shelter space for every person in Helsinki – with a population of around 700,000, the city has shelter space for close to 950,000 – that should be able to be reached in one to 10 minutes.

There are around 5,500 civil defence shelters in the city and some 50,500 across Finland accommodating a total of 4.8 million people, which equates to about 85 per cent of the population.

Early evening on a Thursday, Rebecca Harkonen, 27, is playing with her two young sons in the children’s area, bouncing on trampolines and clambering on a soft climbing frame.

The thwack of plastic balls against sticks as a children’s hockey game takes place in one hall and the laughter of toddlers stands in stark contrast to the underground caverns’ primary purpose as shelter from attack.

As her giggling four-year-old dives headfirst into the ball pit, Harkonen says: “We all know where our closest shelter is. That’s normal for us.”

Harkonen refers to the 72-hour concept that is well-known across Finland and details the level of home preparedness expected.

It is recommended that at all times, residents have three days’ worth of food, water and medicines, as well as essentials such as a battery-powered torch, iodine pills, a portable stove and matches, and a portable extinguisher.

She says she currently has 72 hours’ worth of most supplies, including canned food, as well as items in plastic bags like beans, lentils, and oatmeal, and rye bread in the fridge because it stays fresh for three days.

The previous day, emergency services at the city’s large public library were handing out leaflets on the 72 hours concept and educating residents about what this volume of food should look like.

One fireman points to a selection of bottled water, freeze-dried packets, jars of coffee and canned food that roughly constitute three days’ worth of food supplies.

The leaflet adds: “It would also be important to know the basics of preparedness, such as where to get reliable information during a disruption and how to cope in a residence that is getting colder and colder.”

Lt Col Annukka Ylivaara, assistant secretary general of the government’s security committee points out that the Finnish people are not panicking and they are not hysterical but they are aware that there is a threat across the border and they have always taken that seriously.

She tells The Independent: “In a conflict situation, Finland would be ready. We have kept our conscription system and our reservist army. So it’s something that we are prepared for if it is needed.”

Ex-Reform MP who came to blows with Farage launches new political party – with very similar name

A former Reform UK MP who once accused Nigel Farage’s group of a “brutal smear campaign” against him has launched a new political party, with a very similar name.

Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe formally unveiled his Restore Britain party on Friday night.

Mr Lowe, currently an independent MP, used to sit as a Reform representative until he was expelled following allegations of bullying and verbal threats towards the party’s chairman, Zia Yusuf.

Mr Lowe vehemently denied all allegations against him and called them vexatious in a row that at one point saw tech billionaire Elon Musk suggest Mr Lowe should replace Mr Farage as the leader of Reform.

It erupted after Mr Lowe called Reform a “protest party” led by “the Messiah” in a newspaper interview.

Leaked WhatsApp messages later showed Mr Farage denounced his behaviour as “disgusting” and “contemptible” and accused him of “damaging the party just before elections”.

Restore Britain was initially set up as a “political movement” by Mr Lowe after his departure from Reform UK.

It is now expected to act as an umbrella political party, with locally based political parties as its partners.

Mr Lowe, for example, will stand again for the Great Yarmouth constituency with local party Great Yarmouth First, which will be a partner for Restore Britain.

Senior Conservative figures Susan Hall and Sir Gavin Williamson had been involved in an advisory board for Restore Britain when it was described as a political movement.

Former minister Sir Gavin suggested to the Press Association he would end his involvement with Restore Britain as a result of it becoming a political party.

Ms Hall, the Conservative leader in the London Assembly, is also thought to be leaving the party’s board.

Last May, the Crown Prosecution Service announced Mr Lowe would not face criminal charges in relation to the alleged threats, “following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence”.

In a statement, Mr Lowe accused Reform of carrying out a “brutal smear campaign”.

He also attacked his former party’s leader, calling him “a coward and a viper”.

How Taliban’s new penal code puts husbands on par with ‘slave masters’

The Taliban has published a new penal code enshrining some of its most backward practices into the law of the land in Afghanistan, with women in particular set to suffer at the hands of the courts.

Signed by the hardline Islamist group’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the 90-page criminal code includes anachronistic stipulations harking back to Islamic scripture, such as different levels of punishment depending on whether the offender is “free” or “a slave”.

It effectively creates a new caste system of upper and lower members of Afghan society, allowing religious leaders or mullahs at the top virtual immunity from criminal prosecution and setting out the harshest punishments for those of the working class.

Perhaps most alarmingly, the code effectively appears to put women on a par with “slaves”, with clauses stating that either “slave masters” or husbands can mete out discretionary punishment in the form of beatings to their wives or subordinates.

The Independent has seen a copy of the criminal code, called De Mahakumu Jazaai Osulnama, which has been distributed across courts in Afghanistan.

Many people are afraid to speak out against the code for fear of recriminations from the Taliban, even on condition of anonymity. After ripples of discontent started spreading online and via activists based outside the country, the Taliban has now issued a separate ruling stating that even discussing the new code is itself an offence, rights groups say.

The code states that corporal punishment for serious crimes will be carried out not by the correctional services, but by Islamic clerics.

It encourages less serious misdemeanours to be dealt with through a “ta’zir” (discretionary punishment) – in other words, in cases where the “offender” is a wife, a beating by her husband.

The code does provide a route to justice for women who are assaulted, but they are required to prove they have suffered serious bodily harm by showing their wounds to the judge – while at the same time being required to remain fully covered. They are also required to be accompanied to the court by their husband or male chaperone (mehram) – even though the majority of offenders in such cases are the husbands themselves.

A legal adviser working in the Afghan capital, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Independent that women faced an “extremely lengthy and difficult” process to get justice for assaults under Taliban law.

She cited one of her recent cases where a woman was beaten by a Taliban guard during a visit to her husband in prison. When she complained to the authorities, she was told her plea would not be heard without her male chaperone being present – the husband who was behind bars.

She told them that if she had a chaperone, a mehram, the Taliban guard would not have assaulted her in the first place, the legal adviser said. “She cried and shouted in the public that death is better [than the process she is going through],” she said. “It is impossible for women to get any justice for an assault that happens to them.”

It is a stark deterioration from the progress made under the previous Nato-backed Afghan administration, which had introduced tough new measures against forced marriage, rape and other forms of gender-based violence. Domestic violence against women invited punishment from three months to one year.

Under the new code, even if an Afghan woman gets through all the legal and social hurdles to prove she has been the subject of a serious assault by her spouse, the husband will be given a maximum sentence of 15 days.

The Taliban has neither condemned nor explicitly prohibited physical, psychological or sexual violence against women in the new code, human rights experts told The Independent.

Rawadari, a human rights movement tracking the hardline Islamist regime in Afghanistan that mostly operates in exile, said another part of the code does not allow women to take safe sanctuary at their parents’ home.

“Article 34 states that if a woman repeatedly goes to her father’s house or that of other relatives without her husband’s permission and does not return home despite her husband’s request, the woman and any member of her family and relatives who has prevented her from going to her husband’s house are deemed criminal and will be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment,” the organisation said in a statement.

“This provision, particularly in the case of women who take refuge at their parents’ house and relatives’ homes from violence and maltreatment by their husbands, exposes them to continued domestic violence and strips them of family and community protection, the only remaining protection for women victims of domestic violence in absence of formal and legal remedies,” Rawadari said.

Shaharzad Akbar, Rawadri’s executive director, said that the code makes religious scholars responsible for enforcing systemic restrictions on the rights of women, girls and minorities, while the mullahs themselves are granted sweeping immunity from legal consequences.

The new legal system also effectively institutes a caste system in which punishment is decided not by the nature of the crime, but the social status of the criminal. At the top of the hierarchy are religious scholars, followed by the elites, the “middle class”, and the “lower class” at the bottom.

If a religious scholar commits a crime, they will receive “advice” regarding their actions. A member of the social elite would receive a maximum punishment of “advice” and a court summons if needed. For the “middle class”, the maximum punishment is imprisonment, while for the “lower class”, it is imprisonment combined with corporal punishment.

“So the mullah is king now,” Akbar says. “The mullah calls the shots, and the mullah gets all the privileges that ordinary people can’t, because they’re put even above elites.”

Seven ways Amazon Business can make your budgets work harder in 2026

Late January marks the moment when the business year truly begins, making it the ideal time for companies of all sizes to maximise their early-year spending through smarter, business-focused purchasing with Amazon Business. Not surprisingly Amazon Business offers exceptional deals and special prices on everything your business needs during the Business Saving Event – until February 4. This is your last chance to save big on thousands of products, from office essentials to equipment upgrades, helping business leaders start the year organised, well-stocked, and ahead of the curve while freeing up valuable time to focus on serving their customers, but only until February 4.

Business-only rates and rapid delivery

Amazon Business is the online retailer’s platform for companies, retooling its familiar and intuitive shopping interface to create a business-focused experience. It helps teams stock up on core business essentials at the best possible price. Users benefit from business-only pricing available exclusively to registered Amazon Business customers, while Amazon’s rapid delivery times make it easy to plug last-minute gaps in supply.

Buying in bulk

Another way to stay fully stocked is to buy in bulk — and Amazon Business makes this flexible. You can purchase single items or pallet-sized orders of everything from stationery to cleaning supplies. Bulk buying improves budget efficiency, saves time, and comes with transparent guardrails for employees, as well as reorder lists for frequently purchased items.

Empowering teams

The beauty of Amazon’s business-specific platform is its familiar Amazon interface, making it easy for employees new to the procurement process to order essential supplies without involving business leaders. This not only saves time but empowers teams to work smarter and more efficiently.

Cost-aware purchasing and oversight

Consolidating your team into a single multi-user account gives you close oversight of spending and ensures budgets are allocated effectively. You can limit purchasing to approved items and guide team members toward approved suppliers, helping you stay on top of compliance goals.

Accessible spending data

Amazon Business accounts come with Amazon Business Analytics built in, providing instant visibility into your organisation’s purchase history. You can track spending, analyse trends, and create customised reports with intuitive visualisations, making it easier to identify savings opportunities and make data-driven buying decisions.

Simplified workflows

Amazon’s logistical expertise enables management of complex multi-address delivery preferences from a single centralised account. Delivery settings can be updated for multiple locations simultaneously, rather than individually. Combined with the platform’s unrivalled product range, this allows you to consolidate purchases across multiple suppliers into a single, streamlined procurement process, cutting down on administrative work.

Seamless integration

For companies using e-procurement and expense management systems such as Coupa, Concur Expense, or SAP Ariba, Amazon Business integrates seamlessly with over 300 platforms. VAT invoices are downloadable, and VAT-exclusive pricing is available, making it easier to incorporate spending data into decision-making processes.

Sign up for a free Amazon Business account to streamline your purchasing and take advantage of quantity discounts.

Mandelson breaks cover for first time since fresh Epstein revelations

The disgraced former Labour peer Peter Mandelson has been seen in public for the first time since fresh claims emerged of his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

The former UK ambassador to the United States was seen leaving his London home and getting into a car on Saturday.

It is the first time Lord Mandelson has been spotted in public since the latest tranche of Epstein files revealed the depths of his alleged links to Epstein.

The claims sent the government into meltdown and forced Lord Mandelson to step down from the House of Lords. It also prompted calls for Sir Keir Starmer to be replaced as prime minister.

It comes days after Lord Mandelson was asked to give evidence to the US Congress over his relationship with the paedophile financier.

A letter to Lord Mandelson, signed by representatives Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam, said it was clear he had “extensive social and business ties to Jeffrey Epstein” and holds “critical information” relevant to Congress’s investigations into Epstein’s operations.

The letter also said: “Numerous pieces of evidence have come to light demonstrating your close ties to Jeffrey Epstein over the span of multiple years.”

Among the evidence, it listed Lord Mandelson’s “handwritten note” in a 50th birthday book for Epstein in which he described the late financier as his “best pal”.

It also pointed to the peer’s stay at the financier’s New York apartment in 2009, while Epstein was serving an 18-month sentence for soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor, as well as photographs of Lord Mandelson in his underwear in the latest US Department of Justice release.

Lord Mandelson was given a deadline of February 27 to respond to the two US politicians’ letter “due to the urgency and gravity of this matter”.

The former cabinet minister has resigned from the Labour Party and quit the House of Lords since the latest tranche of Epstein files was released in the US.

Among the revelations to emerge were documents from 2009 that appeared to show Lord Mandelson, when he was business secretary, sharing sensitive information with Epstein on at least four occasions.

In the wake of the criticism over Lord Mandelson’s appointment, the government has seen several advisors to the PM quit, including chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, communications director Tim Allan and cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald.

Palmerston, former Foreign Office chief mouser, dies in Bermuda

Palmerston, the much-loved former chief mouser for the Foreign Office, has passed away peacefully in Bermuda, it has been announced. The feline diplomat, a rescue from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, served four years in Whitehall, becoming a popular figure among staff and the public, before retiring in 2020.

After a period of enjoying life “away from the limelight,” Palmerston made a surprise return to public service in February 2025, taking on the unique role of “feline relations consultant (semi-retired) to the new Governor of Bermuda.” This new chapter saw him continue his diplomatic duties in a sunnier clime.

Announcing his death, a post on Palmerston’s X account read: “Palmerston, Diplocat extraordinaire, passed away peacefully on 12 February. “Palmy” was a special member of the Government House team in Bermuda, and a much loved family member. “He was a wonderful companion, with a gentle nature, and will be sorely missed.”

During his tenure in Westminster, Palmerston was famously rumoured to have engaged in a long-running feud with Larry, the chief mouser at Number 10. Despite their alleged rivalry, Larry’s X account posted a poignant tribute: “Farewell old friend x.” Labour MP Sarah Champion also simply wrote: “RIP.”

Upon his retirement in 2020, a letter penned in Palmerston’s name to Sir Simon McDonald, then permanent under-secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, explained his desire to spend more time “away from the limelight” after enjoying “working from home” during the coronavirus pandemic. The letter stated: “I have found life away from the front line relaxed, quieter, and easier.”

It also highlighted his influence, noting: “My 105,000 twitter followers show that even those with four legs and fur have an important part to play in the UK’s global effort. I have championed our work, built our relationships, and celebrated the diversity of our staff.”

Foreign Office staff paid tribute at the time, with Jon Benjamin, director of the department’s Diplomatic Academy, wishing him a “very happy retirement” and recalling an amusing incident: “He left us a slightly chewed dead mouse next to my desk in @UKDipAcademy once, and we were of course not very grateful.”