Best Of

(((Dan Hodges)))
@DPJHodges
·
33m
It’s not possible to overstate how much trouble Starmer’s now in on Mandelson, having backed him in the House.

Hodges is wrong yet again, of course it is possible. How about "Starmer will not just have to resign, but will be found guilty of treason, hung, drawn and quartered, sent to hell for eternity, and be forced to become a Man United fan". I suspect that overstates it quite substantially.

It's not Starmer resignation but Mandelson that is on the line but Starmer prevarication is not helping him at all

Sure Mandelson will probably have to go. It makes almost no long term difference to Starmer. His fate rests on ending asylum hotels, a big reduction in the boats combined with the fluctuations of the global economy, not this.

Not quite sure this is right. How about this progression; could it be where the media/opposition go?

1) Mandelson had a significant relationship with Epstein both before and after he went to prison for sex offences.including post prison business consultancy. (This looks certain)

2) M must have been fully vetted before the ambassadorial appointment. (This must be true)

3) Starmer must have been advised of the relevant facts. (This must be true, especially as M has form from the past, but no doubt attempts can be made to fudge it)

4) If 1-3 above are true and established, then M's appointment is a potential resignation issue for Starmer.

What do others think?

Spot on. The resignation of Mandelson a mere formality now - what the media and opposition leaders are chasing is the resignation of Starmer over this. He was very careful not to tell porkies at PMQ, but at expense of making it crystal clear he likely knew all this even more besides when making the appointment.

He hid behind “due process was followed” questions can be asked about that due process. Indeed LOTO asked for it to be published in full ASAP.
He hid behind “elements of due process that are strictly private” which he won’t get away with for it inevitably means he can’t close off “what did you know and when.”

Can Starmer latch on to something “new” to everyone for the sacking that saves him?
Is there anything new, something substantial not known during due process Starmer didn’t know? Otherwise Starmer is finished now by this “fluffy bed robe cover up”

I think the first signs of Number Ten softening its support will come from “number 10 spokesperson or source” look there for possible backing away from Mandleson.

Has Nigel been calling for PM's head?

Recent news report:

Nigel Farage, an ally of Trump and the leader of Reform UK, has recently defended those who had dealings with Epstein in an interview with PoliticsHome, saying: “How could anybody in American high society in New York in the 80s and 90s not have had links with Epstein?

“His business empire his social empire, his tentacle went very, very deep through American society. So the idea that you’re guilty by association because you knew Epstein – I mean you would put the whole of America in jail who were prominent people in business or media in the 1980s.”

Not the worst idea Nigel has had.

FPT:

While we’re (rightly) vexed by Mandelson and Poland this is on fire in America

“I am offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations

Please contact katie@eoghan.com for more details

Please also share this message

If you would like to contribute to this fund, please contact Katie also”

https://x.com/eoghan/status/1965567989002240125?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

Musk just promised $1m

Wouldn’t they be better starting a fund for basic treatment for the psychotically ill?

It's great how the MAGA crowd have gone from hating Ukrainians as corrupt Biden-supporters who started a war against Russia to loving them. Maybe the money would be best sent to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

What's the political angle here? My understanding was that this was tragic-random-killing example #22,386 this year in America. Is there more to it?

While we’re (rightly) vexed by Mandelson and Poland this is on fire in America

“I am offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations

Please contact katie@eoghan.com for more details

Please also share this message

If you would like to contribute to this fund, please contact Katie also”

https://x.com/eoghan/status/1965567989002240125?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

Musk just promised $1m

Wouldn’t they be better starting a fund for basic treatment for the psychotically ill?

It's great how the MAGA crowd have gone from hating Ukrainians as corrupt Biden-supporters who started a war against Russia to loving them. Maybe the money would be best sent to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

What's the political angle here? My understanding was that this was tragic-random-killing example #22,386 this year in America. Is there more to it?

MAGA have seized on the random killing of a white girl by a black man and saying it's reverse racism that it's not been given as much attention as various recent killings of black people. The man charged with her killing had a long criminal record, so they are also saying this is a case of Democrats failing to keep bad people locked up. The Spectator is calling it two-tier justice. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/08/trump-blames-democrats-murder-ukrainian-refugee-00551419 has more. Also see https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/10/us/national-debate-crime-charlotte-stabbing

It was a horrific, random killing, but has now become massively politicised by the right.

George Floyd was a thuggish black career criminal who was on fentanyl when he died

This is an entirely innocent white Ukrainian refugee who herself was killed by a black career criminal who has been released 14 times by inept liberal judges

Both terrible deaths were filmed, in hideous detail. The first one caused a massive moral reckoning and massive angry riots, the second was buried as deep as possible by liberal media and only emerged because Musk owns X and people can spread it there

She will now become a white George Floyd

Floyd triggered a movement to highlight racial injustice in America. What is this movement (if it takes off) seeking to highlight? That black men are allowed to murder white women or something?

The extraordinary disparities in violent crime, by race

It’s more than that, it’s the attitude of the justice ‘system’ in large cities that shows more compassion for the perpetrator than the victim of crime, and it’s leading to an increasingly lawless country where people just going about their business suddenly end up dead for no reason at all.

That and the video. Don’t watch the video.

We have an example right here on this thread

A commenter goes straight to “let’s feel sorry for young black men” without even mentioning the victim

As did the Mayor of Charlotte.

It’s also the entire US “mainstream” media.

The NY Times ran this headline yesterday, their first mention of the case.



It’s almost as if they prefer to be on the side of the murderer over a totally innocent victim, rather than admit Trump is right about violent crime in American cities.

I'm not sure they even care about Trump being right - it feels like the thing they're most angry about is that they're losing the ability to define the national narrative on their terms.

Yes, that the “MSM” see themselves losing control of the narrative is an added facet.

Fair to say that if Elon Musk hadn’t bought Twitter, this story wouldn’t exist as it does now.

FPT:

While we’re (rightly) vexed by Mandelson and Poland this is on fire in America

“I am offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations

Please contact katie@eoghan.com for more details

Please also share this message

If you would like to contribute to this fund, please contact Katie also”

https://x.com/eoghan/status/1965567989002240125?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

Musk just promised $1m

Wouldn’t they be better starting a fund for basic treatment for the psychotically ill?

It's great how the MAGA crowd have gone from hating Ukrainians as corrupt Biden-supporters who started a war against Russia to loving them. Maybe the money would be best sent to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

What's the political angle here? My understanding was that this was tragic-random-killing example #22,386 this year in America. Is there more to it?

While we’re (rightly) vexed by Mandelson and Poland this is on fire in America

“I am offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations

Please contact katie@eoghan.com for more details

Please also share this message

If you would like to contribute to this fund, please contact Katie also”

https://x.com/eoghan/status/1965567989002240125?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

Musk just promised $1m

Wouldn’t they be better starting a fund for basic treatment for the psychotically ill?

It's great how the MAGA crowd have gone from hating Ukrainians as corrupt Biden-supporters who started a war against Russia to loving them. Maybe the money would be best sent to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

What's the political angle here? My understanding was that this was tragic-random-killing example #22,386 this year in America. Is there more to it?

MAGA have seized on the random killing of a white girl by a black man and saying it's reverse racism that it's not been given as much attention as various recent killings of black people. The man charged with her killing had a long criminal record, so they are also saying this is a case of Democrats failing to keep bad people locked up. The Spectator is calling it two-tier justice. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/08/trump-blames-democrats-murder-ukrainian-refugee-00551419 has more. Also see https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/10/us/national-debate-crime-charlotte-stabbing

It was a horrific, random killing, but has now become massively politicised by the right.

George Floyd was a thuggish black career criminal who was on fentanyl when he died

This is an entirely innocent white Ukrainian refugee who herself was killed by a black career criminal who has been released 14 times by inept liberal judges

Both terrible deaths were filmed, in hideous detail. The first one caused a massive moral reckoning and massive angry riots, the second was buried as deep as possible by liberal media and only emerged because Musk owns X and people can spread it there

She will now become a white George Floyd

Floyd triggered a movement to highlight racial injustice in America. What is this movement (if it takes off) seeking to highlight? That black men are allowed to murder white women or something?

The extraordinary disparities in violent crime, by race

It’s more than that, it’s the attitude of the justice ‘system’ in large cities that shows more compassion for the perpetrator than the victim of crime, and it’s leading to an increasingly lawless country where people just going about their business suddenly end up dead for no reason at all.

That and the video. Don’t watch the video.

We have an example right here on this thread

A commenter goes straight to “let’s feel sorry for young black men” without even mentioning the victim

As did the Mayor of Charlotte.

It’s also the entire US “mainstream” media.

The NY Times ran this headline yesterday, their first mention of the case.



It’s almost as if they prefer to be on the side of the murderer over a totally innocent victim, rather than admit Trump is right about violent crime in American cities.

I'm not sure they even care about Trump being right - it feels like the thing they're most angry about is that they're losing the ability to define the national narrative on their terms.

I went up to Scotland last week (I might have mentioned it). I hate trains but I like the idea of a posh train to somewhere nice. That leaves me the Night Riviera sleeper train to Penzance, the Caledonian Sleeper to Inverness, or the Eurostar to Lille. Not big places, smallish nice towns with nice places where I can sit down and read books, reasonably luxurious and historic with nice buildings. Anybody been to Penzance, Inverness or Lille?

I was in Inverness the other week, lovely place. I tried to book the Caledonian Sleeper but it appears that the rare double cabins are already sold out until about November. If you do get there, take the scenic route back towards Fort William and onto Glasgow, some absolutely wonderful scenery.

Id add, be a little careful if doing the FW or Inv on the sleeper in winter or spring. Flooding etc can lead to an unpleasant coach or minibus to or from Edinburgh. Or be prepared this might happen (I got compensation tbf)

I'm one of the 4%. I've met several MPs. I think the public far too cynical in this respect.

I think they tend to start off out for the country, fairly quickly get tribalised and become out for their party, and once they've realised they can't actually achieve anything anyway eventually are just out for themselves.

There are exceptions - whatever one says about them, it's fairly obvious that neither Steve Baker or Jeremy Corbin are mainly out for themselves.

Somewhat unfortunately, it's generally ones who have got the furthest into this cycle of cynicism have also tended to the the ones most likely to grasp the levers of power - thus we have had such great leaders as Starmer and Johnson, neither of whom seem to have any idea what to do in the top job beyond "try and cling on to it".