Newslinks for Sunday 22nd February 2026

Andrew may have used RAF jets to meet Epstein, Brown tells police

“Gordon Brown has demanded a police investigation into whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor used taxpayer-funded jets and RAF bases to meet the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Telegraph can reveal that the former prime minister wrote letters to six police forces suggesting that civil servants be questioned about Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as a trade envoy. The royal was an envoy from 2001 to 2011, including almost three years when Mr Brown was in No 10. He has also demanded a full investigation into the trade envoy role, its cost to taxpayers and any evidence that links Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s government work to Epstein. His five-page letters were sent individually to police in London, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, Norfolk and Bedfordshire this week, but their contents were not publicly disclosed.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Andrew’s former private secretary faces police questioning – Sunday Telegraph
• Former Prince’s Met protection told to guard Epstein dinner in New York – Sunday Times
• Andrew & Mandelson should be investigated for treason, senior Tory MP demands – Sun on Sunday

Trump hits Britain with higher tariffs

“Britain will be hit with higher tariffs after Donald Trump unveiled sweeping new levies on the US’s global trading partners. The president announced on Saturday tariffs would rise to 15pc from 10pc – meaning British exports will now cost significantly more for US consumers. Britain’s baseline tariff was already at 10pc but now exporters face a significant jump in taxes they will have to pay, or add to their prices, to send goods to the US. Experts said the move would “dismay” UK companies, saying the president’s announcement was “something of an eef you” to Britain.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Trump raises tariffs to 15% on imports from all countries – Observer

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Tories pledge to cut ‘unfair’ interest on student loans

“The Conservatives have pledged to abolish the ‘unfair’ additional interest on student loans. Kemi Badenoch has announced she would scrap supplementary interest on Plan 2 student loans, which students who attended university between 2012 and 2023 took out, saying they “increasingly feel like a scam”. The loans have been criticised for the interest rate of up to 3 per cent that is imposed in addition to inflation, and has been blamed for leaving two-thirds of graduates unable to pay off their balance. Although the loans are written off after 30 years, their structure means that graduates must earn at least £66,000 just to keep up with interest payments and often pay back far more than they borrowed over the course of their career. The Conservatives have pledged to abolish real interest on Plan 2 loans and cap the interest rate at the RPI rate of inflation, which is currently 3.2 per cent.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Badenoch vows to cut student loan interest and boost apprenticeships – Sunday Times
• Starmer accused of class warfare over plan to overhaul funding for disadvantaged schools – Sun on Sunday
• English taxpayers bankrolling ‘out of control’ Scottish benefits – Sunday Telegraph

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Farage: My Chagos aid mission has been blocked

“Nigel Farage has accused the British Government of trying to thwart a mission to send aid to Chagos islanders. The leader of Reform UK flew to the Maldives last week with equipment to assist four Chagossians who are attempting to establish a permanent base on a deserted island in the archipelago, and establish a colony in their former homeland. A boat with Mr Farage on board, and carrying food and medicines, was due to make the 24-hour journey to the island, Île du Coin, about 300 miles south of the Maldives. But The Telegraph understands the plans have been thwarted by threats, mechanical problems and an insistence by UK authorities that only trained crew should be on board.” – Sunday Telegraph

• We’ll punish Pakistan and others over illegal migrants, says Reform – Sunday Times
• Reform wants to put public unions ‘under review’ – FT
• ‘I had a swastika put on my door for having Right-wing views’ – Sunday Telegraph
• Goodwin is running: the search for Reform’s elusive byelection candidate – Observer

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Sack minister who asked law firm to smear journalists, Starmer told

“Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to sack a Cabinet minister over his alleged role in a smear campaign targeting journalists. A coalition of senior politicians from across the political spectrum have called on the Prime Minister to fire Josh Simons, the former Labour Together director. They say Mr Simons is “up to his neck” in questionable practices and warn that his position is “untenable” after it emerged he asked spy chiefs to investigate journalists at The Sunday Times. Mr Simons is accused of paying PR firm Apco Worldwide £36,000 to investigate the personal, religious and political backgrounds of journalists reporting on Labour Together’s undeclared funding.” – Sunday Telegraph

• Lobbyist who examined Sunday Times journalist targeted another – Sunday Times
• Starmer ‘drawing up plans to sack rival Streeting for plotting to take his job’ – Mail on Sunday
• PM could have prevented ban on Israeli football fans – Sunday Telegraph

Labour battles disaffection in crucial three-way by-election battle

“Manchester has always been Labour,” was Angeliki Stogia’s response to suggestions the party was now only a “distant third” in the Gorton and Denton by-election race. “We are constantly on the doorstep and acting on what people tell us,” the party’s candidate said in an Instagram video where she rebutted critical social media comments. Yet while the area has indeed reliably voted Labour for most of the last century, the party knows that may not be the case in Thursday’s vote. Some Labour activists fear that Sir Keir Starmer’s party could come third to the leftwing Greens and rightwing Reform, which have both run energetic, populist campaigns against the party struggling in No 10.” – FT

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