Welcome to Essex Girl's weekly Current Events Explainers

Stay up to date with the latest news and political developments with quick explainers and insights from a Politics and International Relations student. Each week there will be new sections on the biggest stories that week.

Key Events this Week

“Nobody’s Girl”: Virginia Giuffre’s Final Words Expose Prince Andrew’s Role in Epstein’s Abuse Network

One of the most well-known accusers of Jeffrey Epstien, Virginia Guiffre released her book, ‘Nobody’s Girl’, posthumously on 21st October. This is a shocking revelation of the abuse and sex trafficking that Guiffre survived as one of Epstein’s victims. In the book, Guiffre details being trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell to have sex with Prince Andrew. She details an underage orgy where he allegedly had sex with “approximately eight other young girls” on Epstein’s Caribbean Island, Little St James, as well as three other sexual encounters with Andrew. She wrote, “He was friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright." Furthermore, Guiffre writes of the legal pressures she faced from Andrew’s team, and how news organisations refused to publish her story through fear they would lose access to the royal family. These new details of Andrew’s role in Epstein’s grotesque power circle of rape have elevated pressures against the royals. Over the last week, growing calls for the government to vote to revoke Prince Andrew’s titles led to him give them up himself, stating, “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.” Whilst Andrew no longer holds his royal titles, nor can access taxpayers’ money, is this truly justice? Without Guiffre alive to speak for herself, having committed suicide at age 41 in April 2025, these revelations are somewhat bittersweet. Should Andrew face trial for his crimes? Should he be behind bars? Whilst the disgraced former prince still protests his innocence, the story of a young woman whose life was destroyed by years of abuse orchestrated by Epstein, and allegedly exploited by Andrew, must remain at the forefront of the public discussions. The victim’s voices risk being drowned out, as they are so often, by powerful men with agendas, and an ‘image’ to uphold.

Japan’s First Female Leader Faces an Old Problem: Restoring Trust in Politics

Self-proclaimed, ‘Iron Lady’, Sanae Takaichi has just been elected Japan’s first female prime minister. Takaichi, a traditional conservative, says her premiership will be defined by assertive foreign policy and fiscal conservatism. Takaichi’s party, The Liberal Democratic Party, alongside their coalition partner, The Japan Innovation Party, face many challenges as they take government. They face 120 million citizens burdened by inflation and disillusionment, as frustration with mainstream politics drives voters toward the far right. Takaichi has already taken some action, on Friday her first policy speech announced aims to reach a defence spending goal of 2% of GDP in the current fiscal year through March, ahead of the original target of fiscal 2027. Backing expansionary fiscal and monetary policies, Takaichi promised to sustain market confidence and gradually reduce government debt as a share of GDP. With the far right on the march in the form of Sanseito, a ‘Japan First’ party, Takaichi and her government must deliver on key policy commitments to address the disillusionment Sanseito is capitalising on. This is a picture not dissimilar to many across the world, particularly the threat the UK Labour government is facing with Reform UK. As Japan’s first female leader, Takaichi’s ability to restore trust at home while navigating global instability will determine not only her legacy, but Japan’s political direction in the years ahead.

Plaid Cymru Seizes Caerphilly in Shock Defeat for Welsh Labour

Welsh Labour has lost the Caerphilly for the first time since its creation in 1999. Not only this, it finished third, after Reform UK and the winner, Plaid Cymru. Lindsay Whittle, the new Plaid MP who stood for the party on 13 separate occasions since 1983, cried as the result was announced. As well as being a huge blow for Labour, Reform UK also faces a huge set back, this by-election being widely regarded as a two-horse race between them and Plaid. However, this election marks a stark increase in support for Reform, having received 12,113 votes on Friday, compared with just 459 votes in 2021. This is a historical by-election, an acute example of the deterioration of mainstream politics. The constituents of Caerphilly clearly felt an alternative party was much more appealing than the historically supported Welsh Labour. Turnout overall stood at 50.43%, markedly higher than during the last ballot back in 2021. During his acceptance speech, Whittle remarked how he was grateful and heartened by how many young people in particular turned out to vote. Whittle encapsulated perhaps the exact sentiment of this remarkable election, "Listen now Cardiff and listen Westminster - this is Caerphilly and Wales telling you we want a better deal for every corner of Wales. The big parties need to sit up and take notice.”

About Me

Hi there! My name is Lois Blackmore. I decided to create 'In The Loop with An Essex Girl' as an outlet for practicing my journalistic skills. I am very passionate about politics and have been since I was about 12 or 13. I am currently studying Politics and International Relations at the University of Bath. With this blog, I hope to cultivate a portfolio of opinion pieces, analysis and commentary that will help me in my future search for work in the industry of journalism and news media. In the process, I hope to help others to make some sense of the chaotic world of politics and global events.  

Email lois.blackmore@outlook.com

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