In the context of who succeeds Starmer, it is a big win for Rayner who took the opportunity to explicitly call for this. In doing so she publically captured the mood on the Labour benches and no doubt amongst members too and distanced herself from complicity in any short lived attempted cover up. Streeting didn't challenge the government line, by contrast.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
The Ukrainians fed duff intelligence to the US recently and surprise surprise it ended up with the Russians. I suspect five eyes is already being scaled back. Trump has threatened to annex Canada after all.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
“ Peter Mandelson exchanged explicit emails about "strippers" with Jeffery Epstein on the day the convicted child sex offender was released from jail, in July 2009. "Free and home," Epstein emails Lord Mandelson at 08.37am on 22 July, as he left a Florida prison following an 18-month sentence for soliciting sex with a minor. "How shall we celebrate?" writes back Mandelson, who was then business secretary under Gordon Brown. "With grace and modesty (those are the names of two strippers)," Epstein replies. "From now on, grace and modesty sd [should] be discovered in London," Mandelson appears to joke back a few hours later, before adding: "How is freedom feeling?" "She feels fresh, firm and creamy," Epstein says. Mandelson responds with two words: "Naughty boy."
Mandelson is gay; there’s no way he could have possibly known about the girls
So we've been led to believe. What was he doing with a female in his underpants in *that* photo?
I don't recall that she was actually 'in' his underpants!
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
The Ukrainians fed duff intelligence to the US recently and surprise surprise it ended up with the Russians. I suspect five eyes is already being scaled back. Trump has threatened to annex Canada after all.
Trump is good mates with both Turkey and and Saudi Arabia, so I'm not convinced by the Leon proclamation anyway.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Well, you can if that attitude comes from your most important ally, the biggest economy on earth, the most powerful nation on earth, and the provider of your “independent” nuclear deterrent
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
🚨BREAKING: Angela Rayner has intervened to ask that the Intelligence & Security Committee has oversight of release of docs
This is very significant. It suggests govt amendment as tabled today not adequate/sufficient as it stands & thinks ISC oversight important for transparency/public confidence
That's both a manoeuvre, and fully justified. It gets more awkward for Starmer.
Unlike Starmer, Rayner is good at politics.
I don't think he can survive this one. There are too many directions from which the fatal blow comes. I suppose one of the least likely would be the PMs sense of honour and what would be good for country, parliament and party?
SFAICS things that could sae him for now are twofold: Kemi not wanting him to be replaced with someone who is a new broom with less baggage. And the problem of which named MP would be the first the wield the knife with 80 supporters, knowing that “The hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown” is often true.
I am starting to come to the same view.
The crux for me was Starmer admitting the vetting flagged the relationship with Epstein. Now I suppose it would have been appalling vetting if it hadn’t, but I thought Starmer had a never crossed my desk strategy ready, which though embarrassingly inept would have tried to move the scrutiny away from him. But I think it’s very clear how he was fully aware of the fact there was a link, he just decided it was worth the risk and take the assurances at face value.
Yes. A further point is this: If you are vetting and something comes up which flashes a red light, that tells you that your researches have to be super thorough, and all the right questions asked. The PM has at his beck and call the entire resources of national intelligence. It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew. And it isn't credible that they didn't have the capacity to find out more stuff than they already knew about Epstein.
The other thing is about 'The Buck Stops Here'. PM is in the number 1 position. Most people don't want to be there. Fair enough. I don't. The number 1 person can delegate all sorts of decision making, and decide all sorts of short cuts, and take all sorts of advice. But the whole point about being Number 1 is that you cannot delegate accountability for what ensues.
“ It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew.”
Are you sure? If I don’t believe you, how are you going to convince me?
The leaking of UK’s market sensitive data to the financier friend has resulted in a dossier prepared by number ten being passed to the police to initiate a criminal investigation.
At what point prior to the publication of the emails last week are you saying the Snoopy Services already knew he had done this? And from that point they knew, who and when did they share it, who did not act on it?
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
That Trump would hate it would hardly stop any Labour member worth their salt voting for her. In fact ...
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
The Ukrainians fed duff intelligence to the US recently and surprise surprise it ended up with the Russians. I suspect five eyes is already being scaled back. Trump has threatened to annex Canada after all.
Trump is good mates with both Turkey and and Saudi Arabia, so I'm not convinced by the Leon proclamation anyway.
The USA does not facilitate Turkey and Saudi Arabia in their possession of a nuclear deterrent. Grow a brain
It's remarkable how this stuff still surprises people. The absurdly lenient plea deal has been known and talked about for many years.
Wow. The original 56-page draft federal indictment of Epstein from 2007 is horrific: 32 counts involving 17 minor girls. Yet Alex Acosta agreed to drop all of it for a single state level solicitation charge?
We can’t bring Epstein back, but if I had any say, I’d be turning the screws on Acosta to understand exactly how this was allowed to happen. It’s hard to believe he made that decision on his own. There’s a story there, and maybe it even explains how, 10 years later, he ended up as Trump’s Labor Secretary. How does something like that happen? https://x.com/HansMahncke/status/2019027407429382358
More significant is that the original draft named four co-conspirators.
Their names have been redacted (originally on the grounds that to identify them might prejudice future legal action). They remain redacted, as Trump's DOJ declares that no more charges will be brought.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Well, you can if that attitude comes from your most important ally, the biggest economy on earth, the most powerful nation on earth, and the provider of your “independent” nuclear deterrent
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
No it's still wrong. If the President of the USA was a devout Muslim then would you think it right for us not to elect a Jew or Christian as Prime Minister?
In the context of who succeeds Starmer, it is a big win for Rayner who took the opportunity to explicitly call for this. In doing so she publically captured the mood on the Labour benches and no doubt amongst members too and distanced herself from complicity in any short lived attempted cover up. Streeting didn't challenge the government line, by contrast.
In the context of who succeeds Starmer, it is a big win for Rayner who took the opportunity to explicitly call for this. In doing so she publically captured the mood on the Labour benches and no doubt amongst members too and distanced herself from complicity in any short lived attempted cover up. Streeting didn't challenge the government line, by contrast.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Well, you can if that attitude comes from your most important ally, the biggest economy on earth, the most powerful nation on earth, and the provider of your “independent” nuclear deterrent
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
No it's still wrong. If the President of the USA was a devout Muslim then would you think it right for us not to elect a Jew or Christian as Prime Minister?
I’m not talking right or wrong, I’m talking realpolitik
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
The Ukrainians fed duff intelligence to the US recently and surprise surprise it ended up with the Russians. I suspect five eyes is already being scaled back. Trump has threatened to annex Canada after all.
Trump is good mates with both Turkey and and Saudi Arabia, so I'm not convinced by the Leon proclamation anyway.
The USA does not facilitate Turkey and Saudi Arabia in their possession of a nuclear deterrent. Grow a brain
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Trump only co-operates with those prepared to slobber over his backside anyway (and sometimes not even then). The Starmer/Mandelson thing has shown us the folly of making that the central consideration of whom you appoint.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
The Ukrainians fed duff intelligence to the US recently and surprise surprise it ended up with the Russians. I suspect five eyes is already being scaled back. Trump has threatened to annex Canada after all.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
“ No way. It would be the end of Trident”
My take is, US love selling us Trident so much, religion of British PM wouldn’t be a deal breaker.
Woke up in the middle of the night having a dream that to propose a fix for the country that had a chance of (a) getting elected and (b) not falling apart very quickly, Zack Polanski, Ed Davey and Nigel Farage agreed to form an electoral pact, running as the Radical Alliance. A merger of some of the Greens radicalism, Reform's populism, and the LibDems compassion as a way to pull the UK out of this interminable swamp we're mired in.
Until you get Reform's compassion, the Green's populism and the LibDem's radicalism.
Six Palestine Action activists have been cleared of aggravated burglary over a break-in at a UK subsidiary of an Israeli defence firm.
Charlotte Head, 29, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, were also charged with criminal damage and violent disorder but the jury reached partial or no verdicts.
The alleged raid targeted the Elbit Systems building near Bristol in the early hours of 6 August 2024.
The six defendants hugged in the dock and waved to supporters in the public gallery, who cheered loudly after the judge had left the court.
The jury at Woolwich Crown Court had been deliberating for more than 36 hours after a trial that began in November 2025. Rajwani, Rogers and Devlin were found not guilty of violent disorder. No verdict was reached for charges of violent disorder for Head, Corner and Kamio.
Jurors were also unable to reach a verdict on Corner's charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent relating to an alleged attack on a security guard.
Excellent news. A jury that won't be cowed. This presumably means all the Palestine Action trials will fail. This authoritarianism is what Starmer should be being pilloried for. He's been in Israel's pocket for far too long. All those Labour candidates thrown off lists must be smiling widely.
Is it excellent news if, as was reported, a security guard was assaulted and no-one is held to account? Does it mean anyone can now act in similar fashion 'because Palestine'? Or 'Because Iran'?
The jury found that a security guard wasn't assaulted. Do you have evidence to the contrary that wasn't available to the jury?
No, the jury failed to reach a conclusion on whether a security guard was assaulted.
It's remarkable how this stuff still surprises people. The absurdly lenient plea deal has been known and talked about for many years.
Wow. The original 56-page draft federal indictment of Epstein from 2007 is horrific: 32 counts involving 17 minor girls. Yet Alex Acosta agreed to drop all of it for a single state level solicitation charge?
We can’t bring Epstein back, but if I had any say, I’d be turning the screws on Acosta to understand exactly how this was allowed to happen. It’s hard to believe he made that decision on his own. There’s a story there, and maybe it even explains how, 10 years later, he ended up as Trump’s Labor Secretary. How does something like that happen? https://x.com/HansMahncke/status/2019027407429382358
More significant is that the original draft named four co-conspirators.
Their names have been redacted (originally on the grounds that to identify them might prejudice future legal action). They remain redacted, as Trump's DOJ declares that no more charges will be brought.
A good point. It was fecking obvious in 2007 that Epstein was being getting very special protection and extra lenient treatment for highly serious crimes
Which kinda puts paid to the plants of Mandy and Andy that “oh I believed he was innocent until about eight minutes after he died”
They liked the parties, they loved the “yummy” fun, they enjoyed the private jets, all too much. That’s it
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Well, you can if that attitude comes from your most important ally, the biggest economy on earth, the most powerful nation on earth, and the provider of your “independent” nuclear deterrent
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
No it's still wrong. If the President of the USA was a devout Muslim then would you think it right for us not to elect a Jew or Christian as Prime Minister?
I’m not talking right or wrong, I’m talking realpolitik
If Trump is so unhinged as to sever all defence and intelligence ties with the UK on the basis of the PM's religion then it's not good realpolitik to appease him in that way. Anyway it wouldn't happen because the extent to which a leader is willing to pay him court matters far more than their religion. Trump gets on very well with a lot of other devout Muslim leaders in the Gulf.
Definite mood shift in Parliament today as Labour MPs report "end of days" feeling about Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, others comparing Mandelson scandal to Pincher, which brought down Boris Johnson.
+ Angela Rayner flexing and leading rebellion on evidence oversight
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
🚨BREAKING: Angela Rayner has intervened to ask that the Intelligence & Security Committee has oversight of release of docs
This is very significant. It suggests govt amendment as tabled today not adequate/sufficient as it stands & thinks ISC oversight important for transparency/public confidence
That's both a manoeuvre, and fully justified. It gets more awkward for Starmer.
Unlike Starmer, Rayner is good at politics.
I don't think he can survive this one. There are too many directions from which the fatal blow comes. I suppose one of the least likely would be the PMs sense of honour and what would be good for country, parliament and party?
SFAICS things that could sae him for now are twofold: Kemi not wanting him to be replaced with someone who is a new broom with less baggage. And the problem of which named MP would be the first the wield the knife with 80 supporters, knowing that “The hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown” is often true.
I am starting to come to the same view.
The crux for me was Starmer admitting the vetting flagged the relationship with Epstein. Now I suppose it would have been appalling vetting if it hadn’t, but I thought Starmer had a never crossed my desk strategy ready, which though embarrassingly inept would have tried to move the scrutiny away from him. But I think it’s very clear how he was fully aware of the fact there was a link, he just decided it was worth the risk and take the assurances at face value.
Yes. A further point is this: If you are vetting and something comes up which flashes a red light, that tells you that your researches have to be super thorough, and all the right questions asked. The PM has at his beck and call the entire resources of national intelligence. It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew. And it isn't credible that they didn't have the capacity to find out more stuff than they already knew about Epstein.
The other thing is about 'The Buck Stops Here'. PM is in the number 1 position. Most people don't want to be there. Fair enough. I don't. The number 1 person can delegate all sorts of decision making, and decide all sorts of short cuts, and take all sorts of advice. But the whole point about being Number 1 is that you cannot delegate accountability for what ensues.
“ It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew.”
Are you sure? If I don’t believe you, how are you going to convince me?
The leaking of UK’s market sensitive data to the financier friend has resulted in a dossier prepared by number ten being passed to the police to initiate a criminal investigation.
At what point prior to the publication of the emails last week are you saying the Snoopy Services already knew he had done this? And from that point they knew, who and when did they share it, who did not act on it?
It's a good question. If the evidence (eg these emails) of his leaking confidential government info to Epstein was already available here, how come it was not acted upon? I conclude that this aspect (as opposed to the sex/sleaze aspect) was probably not known about and neither would it have been revealed by the vetting.
Woke up in the middle of the night having a dream that to propose a fix for the country that had a chance of (a) getting elected and (b) not falling apart very quickly, Zack Polanski, Ed Davey and Nigel Farage agreed to form an electoral pact, running as the Radical Alliance. A merger of some of the Greens radicalism, Reform's populism, and the LibDems compassion as a way to pull the UK out of this interminable swamp we're mired in.
Until you get Reform's compassion, the Green's populism and the LibDem's radicalism.
More nightmare than dream.
A bit like my remark about Starmer being an amalgam of elements of our most recent Prime Ministers.
He has the electoral appeal of Sunak, the economic skills of Truss, the integrity of Johnson and the common touch of May.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
Starmer still can't read the room or the country. His position at PMQs seemed to be it was OK for Mandelson to hang around with a convicted paedophilic sex trafficker, but what was beyond the pale was leaking government decisions after the GFC.
If Starmer knew now what he knows then – the new information is leaking from government and advising how to attack government policy. All the sex stuff and Mandelson's involvement was old news. Starmer said in his first reply: To learn that there was a Cabinet Minister leaking sensitive information at the height of the response to the 2008 crash is beyond infuriating, and I am as angry as the public and any Member of this House.
In the context of who succeeds Starmer, it is a big win for Rayner who took the opportunity to explicitly call for this. In doing so she publically captured the mood on the Labour benches and no doubt amongst members too and distanced herself from complicity in any short lived attempted cover up. Streeting didn't challenge the government line, by contrast.
Spot on
Labour will likely hold fire until June July.
There will be a serious attempt to unify behind a Rayner Streeting or Rayner Oooper ticket
Moving slightly left on key issues
Promotions for
Darren Jones Chancellor Douglas Alexander Foreign Secretary
Main out
Rachel
By then the Tories will have ditched Kemi to annoint Cleverley
Labour softer left Tories considerably more central
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
My Tesco Express has pre boiled eggs in the meal deal section as a snack to go with the sandwiches. My husband is partial to them although they stink to high heaven when you open the pot.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
You can at my local Tesco. Hard only, and pre-shelled in a plastic tub, but they sell them located by the sandwiches and listed as a snack option in their meal deal.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
The Ukrainians fed duff intelligence to the US recently and surprise surprise it ended up with the Russians. I suspect five eyes is already being scaled back. Trump has threatened to annex Canada after all.
Trump is good mates with both Turkey and and Saudi Arabia, so I'm not convinced by the Leon proclamation anyway.
The USA does not facilitate Turkey and Saudi Arabia in their possession of a nuclear deterrent. Grow a brain
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and (nuclear armed?) Pakistan have formed a mutual defence pact, Chatham House reports. So no need for new nukes.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
The Ukrainians fed duff intelligence to the US recently and surprise surprise it ended up with the Russians. I suspect five eyes is already being scaled back. Trump has threatened to annex Canada after all.
Trump is good mates with both Turkey and and Saudi Arabia, so I'm not convinced by the Leon proclamation anyway.
The USA does not facilitate Turkey and Saudi Arabia in their possession of a nuclear deterrent. Grow a brain
It has, on and off, and with greater and lesser openness, facilitated Pakistan in its possession of a nuclear deterrent, largely as a regional counterbalance to India.
Just as well for Labour they happily cancelled all those local elections in May where they would have been trounced.
Theres 33 Lab Majority councils still up outside of London, i think they'll lose control of everything not electing by thirds and any of the 'thirds' that arent red rosette on a donkey councils
🚨BREAKING: Angela Rayner has intervened to ask that the Intelligence & Security Committee has oversight of release of docs
This is very significant. It suggests govt amendment as tabled today not adequate/sufficient as it stands & thinks ISC oversight important for transparency/public confidence
That's both a manoeuvre, and fully justified. It gets more awkward for Starmer.
Unlike Starmer, Rayner is good at politics.
I don't think he can survive this one. There are too many directions from which the fatal blow comes. I suppose one of the least likely would be the PMs sense of honour and what would be good for country, parliament and party?
SFAICS things that could sae him for now are twofold: Kemi not wanting him to be replaced with someone who is a new broom with less baggage. And the problem of which named MP would be the first the wield the knife with 80 supporters, knowing that “The hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown” is often true.
I am starting to come to the same view.
The crux for me was Starmer admitting the vetting flagged the relationship with Epstein. Now I suppose it would have been appalling vetting if it hadn’t, but I thought Starmer had a never crossed my desk strategy ready, which though embarrassingly inept would have tried to move the scrutiny away from him. But I think it’s very clear how he was fully aware of the fact there was a link, he just decided it was worth the risk and take the assurances at face value.
Yes. A further point is this: If you are vetting and something comes up which flashes a red light, that tells you that your researches have to be super thorough, and all the right questions asked. The PM has at his beck and call the entire resources of national intelligence. It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew. And it isn't credible that they didn't have the capacity to find out more stuff than they already knew about Epstein.
The other thing is about 'The Buck Stops Here'. PM is in the number 1 position. Most people don't want to be there. Fair enough. I don't. The number 1 person can delegate all sorts of decision making, and decide all sorts of short cuts, and take all sorts of advice. But the whole point about being Number 1 is that you cannot delegate accountability for what ensues.
“ It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew.”
Are you sure? If I don’t believe you, how are you going to convince me?
The leaking of UK’s market sensitive data to the financier friend has resulted in a dossier prepared by number ten being passed to the police to initiate a criminal investigation.
At what point prior to the publication of the emails last week are you saying the Snoopy Services already knew he had done this? And from that point they knew, who and when did they share it, who did not act on it?
It's a good question. If the evidence (eg these emails) of his leaking confidential government info to Epstein was already available here, how come it was not acted upon? I conclude that this aspect (as opposed to the sex/sleaze aspect) was probably not known about and neither would it have been revealed by the vetting.
🚨BREAKING: Angela Rayner has intervened to ask that the Intelligence & Security Committee has oversight of release of docs
This is very significant. It suggests govt amendment as tabled today not adequate/sufficient as it stands & thinks ISC oversight important for transparency/public confidence
That's both a manoeuvre, and fully justified. It gets more awkward for Starmer.
Unlike Starmer, Rayner is good at politics.
I don't think he can survive this one. There are too many directions from which the fatal blow comes. I suppose one of the least likely would be the PMs sense of honour and what would be good for country, parliament and party?
SFAICS things that could sae him for now are twofold: Kemi not wanting him to be replaced with someone who is a new broom with less baggage. And the problem of which named MP would be the first the wield the knife with 80 supporters, knowing that “The hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown” is often true.
I am starting to come to the same view.
The crux for me was Starmer admitting the vetting flagged the relationship with Epstein. Now I suppose it would have been appalling vetting if it hadn’t, but I thought Starmer had a never crossed my desk strategy ready, which though embarrassingly inept would have tried to move the scrutiny away from him. But I think it’s very clear how he was fully aware of the fact there was a link, he just decided it was worth the risk and take the assurances at face value.
Yes. A further point is this: If you are vetting and something comes up which flashes a red light, that tells you that your researches have to be super thorough, and all the right questions asked. The PM has at his beck and call the entire resources of national intelligence. It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew. And it isn't credible that they didn't have the capacity to find out more stuff than they already knew about Epstein.
The other thing is about 'The Buck Stops Here'. PM is in the number 1 position. Most people don't want to be there. Fair enough. I don't. The number 1 person can delegate all sorts of decision making, and decide all sorts of short cuts, and take all sorts of advice. But the whole point about being Number 1 is that you cannot delegate accountability for what ensues.
“ It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew.”
Are you sure? If I don’t believe you, how are you going to convince me?
The leaking of UK’s market sensitive data to the financier friend has resulted in a dossier prepared by number ten being passed to the police to initiate a criminal investigation.
At what point prior to the publication of the emails last week are you saying the Snoopy Services already knew he had done this? And from that point they knew, who and when did they share it, who did not act on it?
It's a good question. If the evidence (eg these emails) of his leaking confidential government info to Epstein was already available here, how come it was not acted upon? I conclude that this aspect (as opposed to the sex/sleaze aspect) was probably not known about and neither would it have been revealed by the vetting.
That he was hanging around with a convicted paedophile was though.
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Does anyone really hate Leon? He's too much like a naughty puppy to be hate. Exasperated at the yapping from time to time certainly but the sheer enthusiasm impossible to hate.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
My local Tesco you can, as you can in Morrisons by me.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
While we're on about that sort of thing, I was in the cafe in the Museum of Science and Industry today and irked to note that the majority of the menu was vegan or veggie, and therefore unappetising. Serve me meat, MOSI! Manchester's industrial/scientific greatness was not won on a diet of falafel. That said, I had a vegan pakora roll, which was an odd combination but perfectly acceptable. Along with a blondie and a cup of tea, both of which were uncommonly excellent. So grumpiness averted.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Wait.
Do you really think NATO exists?
Yes, in the sense that Russian and Iranian elections exist.
Definite mood shift in Parliament today as Labour MPs report "end of days" feeling about Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, others comparing Mandelson scandal to Pincher, which brought down Boris Johnson.
+ Angela Rayner flexing and leading rebellion on evidence oversight
Rayner has native cunning
The Labour Party would be well advised to elect her and kick out the awful Starmer regime
She will almost certainly be even worse for the country than Skyr (although she does at least know how to talk and walk) but if I was a Labour member, or partisan voter, I’d go for her. She has the populist touch to challenge Farage and the leftist instincts to grab Green votes
She could actually win a GE, if she gets a favourable wind. I don’t think any of the other candidates have that capability
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
Because in this country nothing gets done without sign off by a Quango stuffed full of self-righteous jobsworths and grasping lawyers.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
My Tesco Express has pre boiled eggs in the meal deal section as a snack to go with the sandwiches. My husband is partial to them although they stink to high heaven when you open the pot.
M&S and Sainsbury's also sell pre-boiled eggs. Sometimes with a couple of leaves, sometimes called a protein pot, invariably part of the meal deal. Co-op too, iirc. Two eggs in a plastic pot is the standard ration.
Waitrose sells pre-boiled quails' eggs, which taste like hens' eggs only smaller, and come with celery salt.
Scotch eggs and pickled eggs are variations on a theme. M&S even sell scotch eggs with runny yolks.
In the context of who succeeds Starmer, it is a big win for Rayner who took the opportunity to explicitly call for this. In doing so she publically captured the mood on the Labour benches and no doubt amongst members too and distanced herself from complicity in any short lived attempted cover up. Streeting didn't challenge the government line, by contrast.
Spot on
Labour will likely hold fire until June July.
There will be a serious attempt to unify behind a Rayner Streeting or Rayner Oooper ticket
Moving slightly left on key issues
Promotions for
Darren Jones Chancellor Douglas Alexander Foreign Secretary
Main out
Rachel
By then the Tories will have ditched Kemi to annoint Cleverley
Labour softer left Tories considerably more central
Starmer — a prosecutor with a huge majority, coming in after years of sleaze and mendacity — could have weaponised the corruption of his opponents to incredible advantage. Instead he will be ruined by the living avatar of corruption in his own party. To not see that coming is a serious skill issue.
Definite mood shift in Parliament today as Labour MPs report "end of days" feeling about Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, others comparing Mandelson scandal to Pincher, which brought down Boris Johnson.
+ Angela Rayner flexing and leading rebellion on evidence oversight
Rayner has native cunning
The Labour Party would be well advised to elect her and kick out the awful Starmer regime
She will almost certainly be even worse for the country than Skyr (although she does at least know how to talk and walk) but if I was a Labour member, or partisan voter, I’d go for her. She has the populist touch to challenge Farage and the leftist instincts to grab Green votes
She could actually win a GE, if she gets a favourable wind. I don’t think any of the other candidates have that capability
Biggest winner of a Rayner v Farage choice would be the Tories and LDs, though she might beat Starmer or then Streeting or Ed Miliband if she had enough Labour MPs behind her to be nominated to go to a membership vote
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
My Tesco Express has pre boiled eggs in the meal deal section as a snack to go with the sandwiches. My husband is partial to them although they stink to high heaven when you open the pot.
i am now simultaneously happily surprised and horribly disgusted. Why do they smell bad?
In Thailand they smell of absolutely nothing. As you would hope. They are pre boiled eggs
🚨BREAKING: Angela Rayner has intervened to ask that the Intelligence & Security Committee has oversight of release of docs
This is very significant. It suggests govt amendment as tabled today not adequate/sufficient as it stands & thinks ISC oversight important for transparency/public confidence
That's both a manoeuvre, and fully justified. It gets more awkward for Starmer.
Unlike Starmer, Rayner is good at politics.
I don't think he can survive this one. There are too many directions from which the fatal blow comes. I suppose one of the least likely would be the PMs sense of honour and what would be good for country, parliament and party?
SFAICS things that could sae him for now are twofold: Kemi not wanting him to be replaced with someone who is a new broom with less baggage. And the problem of which named MP would be the first the wield the knife with 80 supporters, knowing that “The hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown” is often true.
I am starting to come to the same view.
The crux for me was Starmer admitting the vetting flagged the relationship with Epstein. Now I suppose it would have been appalling vetting if it hadn’t, but I thought Starmer had a never crossed my desk strategy ready, which though embarrassingly inept would have tried to move the scrutiny away from him. But I think it’s very clear how he was fully aware of the fact there was a link, he just decided it was worth the risk and take the assurances at face value.
Yes. A further point is this: If you are vetting and something comes up which flashes a red light, that tells you that your researches have to be super thorough, and all the right questions asked. The PM has at his beck and call the entire resources of national intelligence. It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew. And it isn't credible that they didn't have the capacity to find out more stuff than they already knew about Epstein.
The other thing is about 'The Buck Stops Here'. PM is in the number 1 position. Most people don't want to be there. Fair enough. I don't. The number 1 person can delegate all sorts of decision making, and decide all sorts of short cuts, and take all sorts of advice. But the whole point about being Number 1 is that you cannot delegate accountability for what ensues.
“ It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew.”
Are you sure? If I don’t believe you, how are you going to convince me?
The leaking of UK’s market sensitive data to the financier friend has resulted in a dossier prepared by number ten being passed to the police to initiate a criminal investigation.
At what point prior to the publication of the emails last week are you saying the Snoopy Services already knew he had done this? And from that point they knew, who and when did they share it, who did not act on it?
thanks. Like you, I don't know. I said this of UK intelligence services:
It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew. And it isn't credible that they didn't have the capacity to find out more stuff than they already knew about Epstein.
If it isn't the job of UK intelligence services to know and be able to find out about people with Mandelson's background, power, antecedents, form, friends, contacts, predilections for getting into trouble, and one who is in contact with an internationally significant wheeler and dealer, dealing among other things in trafficked women, and with a significant conviction then what might their job be?
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Does anyone really hate Leon? He's too much like a naughty puppy to be hate. Exasperated at the yapping from time to time certainly but the sheer enthusiasm impossible to hate.
No. He is very much the court jester.
The visceral hatred is specifically aimed at the Centrist Dad posters. And Leon is no Centrist Dad. He would be mortified if anyone suggested he was.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Well, you can if that attitude comes from your most important ally, the biggest economy on earth, the most powerful nation on earth, and the provider of your “independent” nuclear deterrent
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
Though the Americans now have a Muslim Mayor of their biggest city too
Corner was accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent by striking police sergeant Kate Evans in her back with a sledgehammer. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on this charge.
Hopefully the Police Federation will fund a civil case.
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Does anyone really hate Leon? He's too much like a naughty puppy to be hate. Exasperated at the yapping from time to time certainly but the sheer enthusiasm impossible to hate.
I have, by far, the most Flags on my personal PB roster. But also one of the highest number of Likes
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Well, you can if that attitude comes from your most important ally, the biggest economy on earth, the most powerful nation on earth, and the provider of your “independent” nuclear deterrent
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
No it's still wrong. If the President of the USA was a devout Muslim then would you think it right for us not to elect a Jew or Christian as Prime Minister?
I’m not talking right or wrong, I’m talking realpolitik
A superficial, starry-eyed view of 'realpolitik' is what has just landed Starmer in this mess.
Starmer — a prosecutor with a huge majority, coming in after years of sleaze and mendacity — could have weaponised the corruption of his opponents to incredible advantage. Instead he will be ruined by the living avatar of corruption in his own party. To not see that coming is a serious skill issue.
In more ways than one. Starmer brought Mandelson in to advise him while he was in opposition because he was lacking in political nous of his own.
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Try to, please
Yes! This is a bugbear of mine, but I've never heard anyone else express it, to the point where I've assumed my supposition that 'try to' is a lamentable mangling of the language is erroneous. See also the word 'disinterested' used as a synonym of 'indifferent'. I can never enjoy Elbow's otherwise excellent album 'The Seldom Seen Kid' until that moment in the opening track is out of the way. It's like nails down a blackboard to me. But again, few other people seem to care any more, so perhaps I am wrong.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
You can. It's even encased in cooked sausagemeat to increase your enjoyment.
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Does anyone really hate Leon? He's too much like a naughty puppy to be hate. Exasperated at the yapping from time to time certainly but the sheer enthusiasm impossible to hate.
I have, by far, the most Flags on my personal PB roster. But also one of the highest number of Likes
I live to serve
While you were banned, your absence was lauded several times a day
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
My Tesco Express has pre boiled eggs in the meal deal section as a snack to go with the sandwiches. My husband is partial to them although they stink to high heaven when you open the pot.
M&S and Sainsbury's also sell pre-boiled eggs. Sometimes with a couple of leaves, sometimes called a protein pot, invariably part of the meal deal. Co-op too, iirc. Two eggs in a plastic pot is the standard ration.
Waitrose sells pre-boiled quails' eggs, which taste like hens' eggs only smaller, and come with celery salt.
Scotch eggs and pickled eggs are variations on a theme. M&S even sell scotch eggs with runny yolks.
Leon needs to get out more.
On this point - AND THIS POINT ONLY - I happily yield. I now accept that you can in fact buy pre boiled eggs in UK supermarket chill cabinets. Do we have the soft boiled option, too?
Starmer — a prosecutor with a huge majority, coming in after years of sleaze and mendacity — could have weaponised the corruption of his opponents to incredible advantage. Instead he will be ruined by the living avatar of corruption in his own party. To not see that coming is a serious skill issue.
This is possibly the straw that breaks the camels back, but if he goes it won't be this issue alone - like Pincher for Boris, it will be more that the MPs have frankly had enough of him.
Teflon Tony could at this stage of his Premiership ride out anything like this because he remained popular and in touch.
The image to sum up Starmer's premiership is Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes.
Definite mood shift in Parliament today as Labour MPs report "end of days" feeling about Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, others comparing Mandelson scandal to Pincher, which brought down Boris Johnson.
+ Angela Rayner flexing and leading rebellion on evidence oversight
Rayner has native cunning
The Labour Party would be well advised to elect her and kick out the awful Starmer regime
She will almost certainly be even worse for the country than Skyr (although she does at least know how to talk and walk) but if I was a Labour member, or partisan voter, I’d go for her. She has the populist touch to challenge Farage and the leftist instincts to grab Green votes
She could actually win a GE, if she gets a favourable wind. I don’t think any of the other candidates have that capability
Biggest winner of a Rayner v Farage choice would be the Tories and LDs, though she might beat Starmer or then Streeting or Ed Miliband if she had enough Labour MPs behind her to be nominated to go to a membership vote
Kemi is unelctable as a PM to 85 % of the population.
30% of the population were quite happy to elect Ange as deputy pm
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
My Tesco Express has pre boiled eggs in the meal deal section as a snack to go with the sandwiches. My husband is partial to them although they stink to high heaven when you open the pot.
M&S and Sainsbury's also sell pre-boiled eggs. Sometimes with a couple of leaves, sometimes called a protein pot, invariably part of the meal deal. Co-op too, iirc. Two eggs in a plastic pot is the standard ration.
Waitrose sells pre-boiled quails' eggs, which taste like hens' eggs only smaller, and come with celery salt.
Scotch eggs and pickled eggs are variations on a theme. M&S even sell scotch eggs with runny yolks.
Leon needs to get out more.
On this point - AND THIS POINT ONLY - I happily yield. I now accept that you can in fact buy pre boiled eggs in UK supermarket chill cabinets. Do we have the soft boiled option, too?
Surely that would be insane, here or in Thailand or anywhere. Juat madness.
On topic and more importantly, someone has to state the obvious:
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
While we're on about that sort of thing, I was in the cafe in the Museum of Science and Industry today and irked to note that the majority of the menu was vegan or veggie, and therefore unappetising. Serve me meat, MOSI! Manchester's industrial/scientific greatness was not won on a diet of falafel. That said, I had a vegan pakora roll, which was an odd combination but perfectly acceptable. Along with a blondie and a cup of tea, both of which were uncommonly excellent. So grumpiness averted.
Corner was accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent by striking police sergeant Kate Evans in her back with a sledgehammer. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on this charge.
Hopefully the Police Federation will fund a civil case.
Why? The more obvious route is a retrial, with the Crown prosecuting.
Beth Rigby @BethRigby On this. A Conservative spokesman says: “The PM has just admitted that the official security vetting highlighted Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but he went ahead and appointed him anyway.
“This is the first time the PM has admitted this and it raises very serious questions over Keir Starmer’s shocking judgement.
“The PM is now trying to orchestrate a cover up by having his own government mark his homework. All MPs must now support the Conservatives’ humble address so that we reveal the full extent of this scandal and the shocking failure of Keir Starmer and his operation.”
Wow. This is high-stakes stuff. If Kemi can get Sir Keir's head on a pike (perfectly possible) then we could see her acclaimed as the most accomplished politician of her generation. That could totally change the dynamics, with even Nigel metaphorically having to kiss her ring on bended knee.
It's not necessarily to Kemi's advantage to see Starmer removed and replaced by someone a) better at politics and/or b) more left wing. Much better to let Starmer hobble on, crippled.
Why would she not want Labour to tack left?
Kemi would want Rayner or Ed Miliband to replace Starmer if he was removed yes, she wouldn't want Streeting.
Farage would want Ed Miliband, Polanski would not want Ed Miliband but would be OK with Streeting. Burnham would have been the worst option as Labour leader for Reform and the Greens but that has now been avoided for now
I haven’t noticed Mahmoud floated as a potential leader. I don’t know enough about her politics but as a rightie she seems to be quite a capabable person so perhaps the least worst option for someone of my leanings. She might make Marx look like Norman Tebbit and I’ve missed it but would be interesting to know if she is an option.
Afaicr she polls pretty badly with the party.
She’s Asian of Pakistani heritage, female, representing a working class inner city seat.
Course she polls badly with them.
Dunno, in the unlikely event I’d have any say in the matter, her scrubbing all the pro refugee & immigration stuff from her website in aid of her current balls of steel act would put me off.
Also, she’s a self-declared devout Muslim
Do we really believe the USA under Trump would cooperate on nukes and intel with a UK ruled by a Muslim?
No way. It would be the end of Trident and the end of Five Eyes, and probably NATO
Interesting that you used the word 'ruled' when discussing a Muslim. Was the UK 'ruled' by a devout Hindu when Sunak was Prime Minister? On your actual point. Even if Trump did react in that way then it's absolutely no reason for either the Labour Party or the country to give it any credence whatsoever. You can't not vote for the person you think is the best for the job in anticipation of someone else's bigotry.
Well, you can if that attitude comes from your most important ally, the biggest economy on earth, the most powerful nation on earth, and the provider of your “independent” nuclear deterrent
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
Though the Americans now have a Muslim Mayor of their biggest city too
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Does anyone really hate Leon? He's too much like a naughty puppy to be hate. Exasperated at the yapping from time to time certainly but the sheer enthusiasm impossible to hate.
I have, by far, the most Flags on my personal PB roster. But also one of the highest number of Likes
I live to serve
42k likes / 66,388 posts = 0.63 likes per post.
It is not something I really measure but looking at my own its 22.6k likes / 27,308 posts = 0.83 likes per post.
Your figure does not look that impressive. Not that its really important either. Quality is more important than quantity.
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Does anyone really hate Leon? He's too much like a naughty puppy to be hate. Exasperated at the yapping from time to time certainly but the sheer enthusiasm impossible to hate.
I have, by far, the most Flags on my personal PB roster. But also one of the highest number of Likes
I live to serve
While you were banned, your absence was lauded several times a day
BTW I love your plans for another French hike, They are, as you must know, utterly insane, Vannes to Biarritz??? That’s like walking from Dover to Penzance
But way to go. It shows you have truly recuperated, as well, if you can do that
Kemi fails to land any real blow on Starmer, he may be hiding behind the fact that Mandy lied to him but it's something she failed to make any progress on.
As he rightly points out this is now a Police matter.
She asks a specific question that she knows he cannot answer. Mandelson clearly told lies that's clear.
Her failure to accept national security issue demeans her, demeans protocol and is completely hypocritical.
Tory benches remarkably quiet given the circumstances, grandees sitting on their hands shaking heads.
Let's repeat Boris redacted 20 pages and released 2.
She's talking to 20 front benchetsbthe rest of her Party are aghast at her incompetence.
A resounding and statesman like win for Starmer.
Cleverly would have far better.
Tory benches sat on complete silence.
Open goal she puts the ball over the Stands
It's the way you tell 'em!
I think we might have found the new most hated poster on PB. You and me are now simply vying for silver and bronze.
Not hated - just ridiculed
So myself and Roger remain top dogs?
Leon is hated by the largest number of people. But he’s also loved by a lot of them. Roger is probably second in the hate stakes, he’s a consistent paedophile-phile after all, so doesn’t get much love away from the Oscars.
You probably come quite high in the contempt deserved table, but I doubt that you muster much hatred
I'll try and up my game then.
Try to, please
Yes! This is a bugbear of mine, but I've never heard anyone else express it, to the point where I've assumed my supposition that 'try to' is a lamentable mangling of the language is erroneous. See also the word 'disinterested' used as a synonym of 'indifferent'. I can never enjoy Elbow's otherwise excellent album 'The Seldom Seen Kid' until that moment in the opening track is out of the way. It's like nails down a blackboard to me. But again, few other people seem to care any more, so perhaps I am wrong.
'Try and' wouldn't be too bad if there was a comma between the two words. Then it would indicate that a a definite action would be the result of the effort rather than the equivocal implication of 'try to'. Mixing up disinterested and uninterested is a cardinal sin as they mean completely different things.
Definite mood shift in Parliament today as Labour MPs report "end of days" feeling about Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, others comparing Mandelson scandal to Pincher, which brought down Boris Johnson.
+ Angela Rayner flexing and leading rebellion on evidence oversight
Rayner has native cunning
The Labour Party would be well advised to elect her and kick out the awful Starmer regime
She will almost certainly be even worse for the country than Skyr (although she does at least know how to talk and walk) but if I was a Labour member, or partisan voter, I’d go for her. She has the populist touch to challenge Farage and the leftist instincts to grab Green votes
She could actually win a GE, if she gets a favourable wind. I don’t think any of the other candidates have that capability
Biggest winner of a Rayner v Farage choice would be the Tories and LDs, though she might beat Starmer or then Streeting or Ed Miliband if she had enough Labour MPs behind her to be nominated to go to a membership vote
Kemi is unelctable as a PM to 85 % of the population.
30% of the population were quite happy to elect Ange as deputy pm
You really must be hurting as she has made Starmer's position impossible
Corner was accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent by striking police sergeant Kate Evans in her back with a sledgehammer. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on this charge.
Hopefully the Police Federation will fund a civil case.
Just as well for Labour they happily cancelled all those local elections in May where they would have been trounced.
Theres 33 Lab Majority councils still up outside of London, i think they'll lose control of everything not electing by thirds and any of the 'thirds' that arent red rosette on a donkey councils
Not many, if any, red rosette on a donkey wards in the entire country.
The sooner Starmer goes the better. What is the alternative on offer? More of the same 2016 to 2024 Conservative- Conservative broken Britain chaos or more of the same 2016-2024 Conservative -Reform broken Britain chaos.
Starmer isn't up to the job of either repairing Britain broken by Johnson, Truss and Farage or a World broken in two by Trump.
Feels like the day the walls crumbled in on Starmer tbh.
Starmer is 1.58 to go this year on Betfair. Can he buy time by sacking Morgan McSweeney? Like Liz Truss and Kwasi, he might try. Although arguably it worked for Theresa May who lingered another couple of years after binning Nick and Fiona.
Comments
America - under the GOP - will not tolerate a Muslim PM of the UK. They’ve made it very clear in several statements
When I say “tolerate” I don’t mean the Yanks will march on London, but we can kiss goodbye to intel and military cooperation, and Trident
Mandelson furore fast becoming a moment of peril for the PM.
One Labour MP texts:
"It's the morality of it. If this were Boris we'd be asking for his head... we'd be pushing for transparency... It stinks, I'm sorry."
"His admission he knew at PMQs was the deal breaker".
Are you sure? If I don’t believe you, how are you going to convince me?
The leaking of UK’s market sensitive data to the financier friend has resulted in a dossier prepared by number ten being passed to the police to initiate a criminal investigation.
At what point prior to the publication of the emails last week are you saying the Snoopy Services already knew he had done this? And from that point they knew, who and when did they share it, who did not act on it?
The absurdly lenient plea deal has been known and talked about for many years.
Wow. The original 56-page draft federal indictment of Epstein from 2007 is horrific: 32 counts involving 17 minor girls. Yet Alex Acosta agreed to drop all of it for a single state level solicitation charge?
We can’t bring Epstein back, but if I had any say, I’d be turning the screws on Acosta to understand exactly how this was allowed to happen. It’s hard to believe he made that decision on his own. There’s a story there, and maybe it even explains how, 10 years later, he ended up as Trump’s Labor Secretary. How does something like that happen?
https://x.com/HansMahncke/status/2019027407429382358
More significant is that the original draft named four co-conspirators.
Their names have been redacted (originally on the grounds that to identify them might prejudice future legal action). They remain redacted, as Trump's DOJ declares that no more charges will be brought.
e.g. "Angela Rayner leads Labour MP calls to back Tory demand for independent ruling on release of Mandelson files"
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/feb/04/peter-mandelson-files-us-ambassador-jeffrey-epstein-keir-starmer-tories-uk-politics-live-news-updates
https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2025-12/news/us-saudi-arabia-announce-nuclear-cooperation
OTOH, we can't afford to buy intelligence off Trump as Saudi does.
Can't believe stuff just because you want to.
My take is, US love selling us Trident so much, religion of British PM wouldn’t be a deal breaker.
More nightmare than dream.
Which kinda puts paid to the plants of Mandy and Andy that “oh I believed he was innocent until about eight minutes after he died”
They liked the parties, they loved the “yummy” fun, they enjoyed the private jets, all too much. That’s it
Do you really think NATO exists?
https://x.com/i/status/2019065798841471363
Definite mood shift in Parliament today as Labour MPs report "end of days" feeling about Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, others comparing Mandelson scandal to Pincher, which brought down Boris Johnson.
+ Angela Rayner flexing and leading rebellion on evidence oversight
Thye'd probably rather eat a buffet of shit.
He has the electoral appeal of Sunak, the economic skills of Truss, the integrity of Johnson and the common touch of May.
In Thailand you can walk into a 7/11 and buy pre-boiled eggs, hard or soft. They are, as eggs go, delicious. Perfect for snacks, picnics or balcony breakfasts
Why don’t we do that? How come I can’t walk into a Tesco Extra in Camden and buy a pre-boiled egg?
If Starmer knew now what he knows then – the new information is leaking from government and advising how to attack government policy. All the sex stuff and Mandelson's involvement was old news. Starmer said in his first reply: To learn that there was a Cabinet Minister leaking sensitive information at the height of the response to the 2008 crash is beyond infuriating, and I am as angry as the public and any Member of this House.
Labour will likely hold fire until June July.
There will be a serious attempt to unify behind a Rayner Streeting or Rayner Oooper ticket
Moving slightly left on key issues
Promotions for
Darren Jones Chancellor
Douglas Alexander Foreign Secretary
Main out
Rachel
By then the Tories will have ditched Kemi to annoint Cleverley
Labour softer left
Tories considerably more central
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/01/talk-turkish-military-alliance-saudi-arabia-and-pakistan-reflects-ankaras-opportunistic
Starmer knew, and was OK with it.
Love a boiled egg.
That said, I had a vegan pakora roll, which was an odd combination but perfectly acceptable. Along with a blondie and a cup of tea, both of which were uncommonly excellent. So grumpiness averted.
The Labour Party would be well advised to elect her and kick out the awful Starmer regime
She will almost certainly be even worse for the country than Skyr (although she does at least know how to talk and walk) but if I was a Labour member, or partisan voter, I’d go for her. She has the populist touch to challenge Farage and the leftist instincts to grab Green votes
She could actually win a GE, if she gets a favourable wind. I don’t think any of the other candidates have that capability
The epitapth
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/303675912?srsltid=AfmBOoo8_s8fkqwQc20ZgAbDl3Gdg51QkNlm9rXGYXvT3Qo1c38dAJ06
Waitrose sells pre-boiled quails' eggs, which taste like hens' eggs only smaller, and come with celery salt.
Scotch eggs and pickled eggs are variations on a theme. M&S even sell scotch eggs with runny yolks.
Leon needs to get out more.
Starmer — a prosecutor with a huge majority, coming in after years of sleaze and mendacity — could have weaponised the corruption of his opponents to incredible advantage. Instead he will be ruined by the living avatar of corruption in his own party. To not see that coming is a serious skill issue.
I can see some perverse logic in it, but it’s backfired fucking badly
In Thailand they smell of absolutely nothing. As you would hope. They are pre boiled eggs
But you tap and crack and they are yummy
It isn't credible that they knew no more than the papers knew. And it isn't credible that they didn't have the capacity to find out more stuff than they already knew about Epstein.
If it isn't the job of UK intelligence services to know and be able to find out about people with Mandelson's background, power, antecedents, form, friends, contacts, predilections for getting into trouble, and one who is in contact with an internationally significant wheeler and dealer, dealing among other things in trafficked women, and with a significant conviction then what might their job be?
I think you are stretching incredulity a bit far.
Just in case an unexpected audience was needed...?
The visceral hatred is specifically aimed at the Centrist Dad posters. And Leon is no Centrist Dad. He would be mortified if anyone suggested he was.
Corner was accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent by striking police sergeant Kate Evans in her back with a sledgehammer. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on this charge.
Hopefully the Police Federation will fund a civil case.
I live to serve
See also the word 'disinterested' used as a synonym of 'indifferent'. I can never enjoy Elbow's otherwise excellent album 'The Seldom Seen Kid' until that moment in the opening track is out of the way. It's like nails down a blackboard to me. But again, few other people seem to care any more, so perhaps I am wrong.
It was almost like they were trying to summon you
Teflon Tony could at this stage of his Premiership ride out anything like this because he remained popular and in touch.
The image to sum up Starmer's premiership is Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes.
30% of the population were quite happy to elect Ange as deputy pm
If anyone needs me, I'm out buying a webcam and a lettuce.
😬 Hear the Tories have changed their opposition day schedule so the Mandelson debate can run all the way up to 7pm this evening …
I’m sure the government will be thrilled by that
It is not something I really measure but looking at my own its 22.6k likes / 27,308 posts = 0.83 likes per post.
Your figure does not look that impressive. Not that its really important either. Quality is more important than quantity.
BTW I love your plans for another French hike, They are, as you must know, utterly insane, Vannes to Biarritz??? That’s like walking from Dover to Penzance
But way to go. It shows you have truly recuperated, as well, if you can do that
"No-one's got a good word for you. But I have - twat."
The sooner Starmer goes the better. What is the alternative on offer? More of the same 2016 to 2024 Conservative- Conservative broken Britain chaos or more of the same 2016-2024 Conservative -Reform broken Britain chaos.
Starmer isn't up to the job of either repairing Britain broken by Johnson, Truss and Farage or a World broken in two by Trump.
For the love of God, man, go!