Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should be re-interviewed by police over his “use of public funds”, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said in a new interview. Referring to Andrew's time as the UK’s trade envoy, Mr Brown revealed that the former Duke of York was interviewed at his request over the “unacceptable costs he was incurring”.

Speaking to the New Statesman, Mr Brown told the magazine that Andrew should also be investigated over alleged trafficking into the UK by paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

He said: “The British authorities should now re-interview Andrew, not just over possible breaches of the Official Secrets Act, but over his use of public funds, and especially over incidents in which women allegedly brought to him at Sandringham, Buckingham Palace, Windsor and at other locations, may have been trafficked into the country by Epstein.”

Confirming the former duke was quizzed by a business minister during his time in government, Mr Brown said: “Andrew was interviewed, at my request when I was prime minister, by a minister from the business department about the unacceptable costs he was incurring. I was told that his response was to ask whether the government seriously believed that he should have to travel on commercial flights.”

The former prime minister previously said he had submitted a “five-page memorandum” to police forces following Andrew’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office in February, when he “expressed my concern that we secure justice for trafficked girls and women”.

Mr Brown went on to say that Andrew’s connection to paedophile Epstein should be “widened” to include alleged sexual abuse. Andrew has always denied all allegations against him.

He said: “Nothing less than the prosecution of those who aided and abetted Epstein will do justice to those who suffered grievous, unconscionable sexual abuse.

“If, as the Epstein emails suggest, the former prince was passing government documents to friends, seemingly going beyond seeking advice on how to discharge his public role, then an investigation is called for – not just into the possible disclosure of official secrets, but into the use of public funds.”

Mr Brown added that he believed police must start interviewing officials and also ask for records from three government departments, the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Foreign Office, which were all involved in managing his trips while serving as UK trade envoy.

He also urged for Andrew's use of public funds and whether they were used not just for public duties, but also for "alleged private liaisons and even private business arrangements."

Andrew was arrested under suspicion of misconduct in public office and was released under investigation after 11 hours at a Norfolk police station. He has always denied wrongdoing.