MP vows to raise £12m deal in the Commons

PRINCE Andrew’s £12million settlement with Virginia Giuffre is set to be raised in Parliament.

Former Shadow Cabinet Minister Andy McDonald vowed to bring up the out-of-court deal the Duke of York struck with his accuser Giuffre.

It prevents a trial which would have overshadowed the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year. But it has prompted questions about how the agreement is being funded.

McDonald said: “This is a person involved in a case where his position of authority and privilege has been allegedly used.

“We need to know exactly where this money is coming from and we’re entitled to know that and have those assurances.

“I’m going to raise this in Parliament because the issue isn’t going to go away until people have that information.”

Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said: “The point of a settlement is that you’re paying for something you believe is a legitimate reason to receive some money.

“That usually means the individual should pay. We use cash to benefit the individual that’s been harmed but the removal of money from someone is to punish, for want of a better word.

“If someone else is paying that amount of money – or the public are paying – then the incentive for someone to change their ways, and he’s shown regret for the friends he kept, so he has said he’s done things wrong but then he’s not actually willing to pay the price of that.”

We revealed yesterday the Queen was contributing by giving £2million to Giuffre’s charity. But former shadow minister Russell-Moyle said: “I’m not sure the Queen needed to pay part of that settlement at all.

“It’s rather strange because that then puts her in a position of being culpable. I thought the whole point was she was distancing herself from it.

“It puts her in a difficult position. I’m not sure I would have done that.”