The fallout from the Bill Gates deposition on Jeffrey Epstein has reached Westminster. MPs from all sides are now demanding answers. The leaked transcript, published by The Daily Mail, reveals previously unknown details about Gates's meetings with Epstein. Sources close to the Speaker say a formal inquiry is now 'inevitable'.
The key moment in the deposition? Gates admits to meeting Epstein multiple times after Epstein's 2008 conviction. He calls it 'a huge mistake'. But the timing matters. These meetings occurred while Gates was still running the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. A foundation that has poured millions into global health projects. Some of them with UK government backing.
Whitehall is rattled. The Department for International Development oversaw a number of these joint projects. One former minister told me they are 'horrified' at the potential reputational damage. 'We funded their work in Africa. Now we find Gates was cosying up to a convicted sex offender. The optics are a nightmare.'
Labour's deputy leader has already tabled a question for Prime Minister's Questions. The SNP are calling for a full select committee investigation. And the Lib Dems? They want the Charity Commission to launch a statutory inquiry. The commission has confirmed it is 'monitoring the situation closely.'
But the real battle is behind the scenes. The Cabinet Office is coordinating a response. They are worried about the impression of a 'cover-up'. Because here is the thing: the UK government has known about these details for months. The Foreign Office was briefed by US counterparts when the deposition was first taken. But they chose to say nothing.
Why the silence? Because Gates is still a major donor to UK-based charities. And because the UK wants to remain close to the Gates Foundation. The PM has personally courted Gates on climate change. There is a fear that any public rebuke could jeopardise that relationship.
But the political calculus has shifted. The backlash is coming from all sides. Even the PM's own backbenches are restless. One senior Tory told me the government 'looks like it is protecting a billionaire over holding him accountable.' That is not a good look for a party promising to clean up public life.
The timing is also brutal. This comes just weeks after the Church of England announced it was reviewing donations from the foundation. And it comes as the government faces ongoing scrutiny over its own ties to Epstein. The Prince Andrew saga is still fresh. The public mood is unforgiving.
What happens next? Expect a statement from the Foreign Office within 48 hours. Possibly a promise of a review. But the real test will be whether they hand over all correspondence with the Gates Foundation. The more they resist, the worse it will get.
And what of Gates himself? His silence is deafening. A spokesman said he was 'disappointed that his private deposition has been leaked.' But that line will not fly here. Westminster is not a charitable audience. It is a hungry beast. And right now, it smells blood.
