If it was at Oxford in student days and consensual and pre Epstein, who cares other than gossips?
You will if it turns out to be a Labour PM.
Boris and Ghislaine were at Balliol (Oxford) at the same time, and have long been linked. Whether there was actually a threesome, who knows? We're into Cameron's initiation level speculation.
Boris and Ghislaine initiated Cameron?
It'll be either Cameron or Boris
Links to Oxfordshire
Honestly I think David Cameron is a very decent man.
Apart from the poor optics, it is a legal requirement that a Senedd candidate resides in Wales......
This could be awkward!!
Just catching up on the story about Martin Shipton the new Ref UK leader in Wales who has his house in Bath. He's been spinning yarns about moving to "Wales" for months and months.
Is there a single senior Reform figure with even a shred of self-respect?
Everything about Reform reeks of deceit and opportunism. I really can't remember a more loathesome British political party since Enoch Powel got himself some followers. Maybe the DUP
Many will agree but it speaks to widespread disillusionment with labour and politics generally
I have no idea how they achieved 43.9% last thursday beating Plaid [on Ynys Mon of all places ] with 25%
This is despite their former leader in prison for accepting bribes from a pro Russian politician
Goodwin Farage Braverman Jenrick and the others have to be defeated but how is another matter entirely
And this weeks Starmer - Mandleson drama has not helped one bit
The implosion of the Labour right will accelerate the realignment of two-party politics around the contest between Reform and the Tories. Maybe Labour can survive as a minor party and aim to play kingmaker.
The political zeitgeist in this country is probably driving us more to Reform v Greens.
Fundamentally, middle-class centrist parties (be they of the Left or Right) won't have the numbers to frame it, but be supplicant influencers.
Not necessarily, if One Nation Tories and New Labour merged into the middle class centrist LDs they could also win as say Macron's centrist Liberals have in France or the Canadian centrist Liberals have done and in Germany of course there is a centre right CDU and centre left SPD coalition.
Though of course that is only likely if rightwing Reform win most seats at the next general election and the leftwing Greens overtake Labour on seats too, leaving the left of the Tories and moderate Labour also rans and needing to ally with the Liberals. The remaining rightwing Tories and left of Labour would likely join with Reform or the Greens anyway
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
Sienna Rodgers @siennamarla NEW: Where potential successors stand at the end of a torrid week for PM
— Burnham supporters given up on him getting a seat under this leadership despite another GM one rumoured to become vacant soon — Some still on the Wes train & insist he understands deep rethink required – but others say Streeting too damaged by Mandelson scandal — There’s ‘Al-mentum’ behind Carns – but total lack of experience. He “would be a more right-wing PM than Thatcher” reckons one MP — Rayner still in lead but frozen by HMRC & some supporters worry about her “credibility” even after it wraps up — other options floated by soft left include Lucy Powell, Ed Miliband — surprise idea: John Healey as a “unifying figure” post-May
The holders of the Great Offices of State don't even get a mention.
I think Mahmood would be more than capable, but too many of the membership would have palpitations.
I think Mahmood might be very good. In betting terms, not WRT my own views, when you consider how it has given problems to a quite mainstream moderate evangelical like Tim Farron, occupying a small party leader position, is the party/country yet ready for a very committed Muslim PM? Do we have depth insight into exactly where she is on a few issues where mainstream Islamic opinion and majority UK opinion (ignoring all extremes) come into a degree of conflict?
My headcanon says this
Streeting = New Labour and the preferred candidate of the Blairites
Mahmood = Blue Labour and the preferred candidate of the Glasmanites
Rayner = Old Labour and the preferred candidate of the progressive left, soft left and (by elimination) the Corbynites
The Blairites have the money and will produce polls saying exactly what they want them to, so we can't discount him. Blue Labour are influential but don't have a power base, at least not yet. Rayner has the soul of the party and the MPs. So I figure Mahmood will come third and then it's a scrap between Streeting and Rayner. If it goes to the membership Rayner will win. (I forget the rules of Labour leader elections).
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
If it was at Oxford in student days and consensual and pre Epstein, who cares other than gossips?
You will if it turns out to be a Labour PM.
I wouldn't then either provided it was consensual, in any case it wouldn't as Blair was at Oxford well before Maxwell was and Starmer did a one year postgrad there the year after she graduated
You were bewailing the modern world's tolerance of pre-marital sex two days ago.
Well that would bar them from being Pope, maybe even from being Archbishop of Canterbury but most ex PMs have had pre marital sex
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
Sienna Rodgers @siennamarla NEW: Where potential successors stand at the end of a torrid week for PM
— Burnham supporters given up on him getting a seat under this leadership despite another GM one rumoured to become vacant soon — Some still on the Wes train & insist he understands deep rethink required – but others say Streeting too damaged by Mandelson scandal — There’s ‘Al-mentum’ behind Carns – but total lack of experience. He “would be a more right-wing PM than Thatcher” reckons one MP — Rayner still in lead but frozen by HMRC & some supporters worry about her “credibility” even after it wraps up — other options floated by soft left include Lucy Powell, Ed Miliband — surprise idea: John Healey as a “unifying figure” post-May
The holders of the Great Offices of State don't even get a mention.
I think Mahmood would be more than capable, but too many of the membership would have palpitations.
I think Mahmood might be very good. In betting terms, not WRT my own views, when you consider how it has given problems to a quite mainstream moderate evangelical like Tim Farron, occupying a small party leader position, is the party/country yet ready for a very committed Muslim PM? Do we have depth insight into exactly where she is on a few issues where mainstream Islamic opinion and majority UK opinion (ignoring all extremes) come into a degree of conflict?
My headcanon says this
Streeting = New Labour and the preferred candidate of the Blairites
Mahmood = Blue Labour and the preferred candidate of the Glasmanites
Rayner = Old Labour and the preferred candidate of the progressive left, soft left and (by elimination) the Corbynites
The Blairites have the money and will produce polls saying exactly what they want them to, so we can't discount him. Blue Labour are influential but don't have a power base, at least not yet. Rayner has the soul of the party and the MPs. So I figure Mahmood will come third and then it's a scrap between Streeting and Rayner. If it goes to the membership Rayner will win. (I forget the rules of Labour leader elections).
You need 81 MPs to nominate you, Streeting would get that but Rayner less clear?
The implosion of the Labour right will accelerate the realignment of two-party politics around the contest between Reform and the Tories. Maybe Labour can survive as a minor party and aim to play kingmaker.
The political zeitgeist in this country is probably driving us more to Reform v Greens.
Fundamentally, middle-class centrist parties (be they of the Left or Right) won't have the numbers to frame it, but be supplicant influencers.
Strangely, I disagree with this which is a mid-term view.
Reform are doing well but have yet to convince in terms of policy and in the heat of an election campaign I suspect their internal contradictions (aided by some candidate choices) will damage them to the advantage of the Conservatives who are, to their credit, playing a bad hand well currently and are sensibly moving away from being Reform-lite to trying to carve out their own identity (though not without its own issues).
Labour have the advantage of a) being Not Reform and b) being the benficiaries IF there are is any smblance of improvement overall and it's a mixed picture depending on what bit of the picture you're looking at.
The LDs will dig in where they are strong and it's too early to be confident of a Green revival beyond one or two areas.
The irony is Labour would probably welcome a Conservative revival - split the "right" vote 35-15 and it's a Reform landslide and a Conservative wipeout but split it 25-25 and you probably get Labour back.
I don't know what a "middle class centrist" party is as these are terms I don't recognise or understand. All parties have middle class elements and once someone defines "centrism" for me I imagine I'll be able to find it in most parties. For all their bluster, I sense neither Reform nor Green are actually that radical.
Do we know if it was a proper threesome, i.e. two females and one guy or fake threesome which is two guys and one female?
None of this should come as any surprise.
We already know she shagged AMW.
It's all utterly sickening.
I still cannot believe that days after Epstein was released from, Sarah Ferguson took her daughters to visit and stay with Epstein.
What kind of parent takes her daughters to see and stay with a convicted nonce?
Her neediness and avarice were known before the Epstein files but it’s been shown to be beyond imagination since. It seems nothing was more important to her than Epstein money, not even her daughters.
If it was at Oxford in student days and consensual and pre Epstein, who cares other than gossips?
You will if it turns out to be a Labour PM.
I wouldn't then either provided it was consensual, in any case it wouldn't as Blair was at Oxford well before Maxwell was and Starmer did a one year postgrad there the year after she graduated
You were bewailing the modern world's tolerance of pre-marital sex two days ago.
Well that would bar them from being Pope, maybe even from being Archbishop of Canterbury but most ex PMs have had pre marital sex
Finally the Beeb are showing something at the Olympics a bit more exciting than Curling.
Almost all Winter Olympics events were from the Blue Peter 'make up a game to play in the snow' competition
I'd like to see you go down a mountain at 70-80mph with a pair of skis....perhaps you can tell us on the way down how the Conservatives are going to win the next election.
The implosion of the Labour right will accelerate the realignment of two-party politics around the contest between Reform and the Tories. Maybe Labour can survive as a minor party and aim to play kingmaker.
The political zeitgeist in this country is probably driving us more to Reform v Greens.
Fundamentally, middle-class centrist parties (be they of the Left or Right) won't have the numbers to frame it, but be supplicant influencers.
Strangely, I disagree with this which is a mid-term view.
Reform are doing well but have yet to convince in terms of policy and in the heat of an election campaign I suspect their internal contradictions (aided by some candidate choices) will damage them to the advantage of the Conservatives who are, to their credit, playing a bad hand well currently and are sensibly moving away from being Reform-lite to trying to carve out their own identity (though not without its own issues).
Labour have the advantage of a) being Not Reform and b) being the benficiaries IF there are is any smblance of improvement overall and it's a mixed picture depending on what bit of the picture you're looking at.
The LDs will dig in where they are strong and it's too early to be confident of a Green revival beyond one or two areas.
The irony is Labour would probably welcome a Conservative revival - split the "right" vote 35-15 and it's a Reform landslide and a Conservative wipeout but split it 25-25 and you probably get Labour back.
I don't know what a "middle class centrist" party is as these are terms I don't recognise or understand. All parties have middle class elements and once someone defines "centrism" for me I imagine I'll be able to find it in most parties. For all their bluster, I sense neither Reform nor Green are actually that radical.
Broadly agree. And the Tories for their part wouldnt mind a few Labour Reform switchers going home to help them shore up their held seats (and target the likes of say Wycombe, Peterborough etc)
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
The BIB, I love the modest and self effacing description.
Mandy just needs to work out who he can get to pay the legal fees for him now.
He could ask for legal aid.
The finances of The Prince of Darkness might be very constrained, he might get POCA'd senseless.
HMRC has been urged to launch a “cash for leaks” investigation into Lord Mandelson’s financial dealings with Jeffrey Epstein.
Documents released by the US department of justice suggest that Epstein sent $75,000 (£54,750) to the disgraced peer and a further £18,000 to his husband.
In turn, Lord Mandelson’s disclosures to the paedophile included plans for a multibillion-pound EU bailout, Gordon Brown’s resignation and the potential sale of government land and property.
Lord Mandelson has said he has “no recollection” of receiving the sums of money mentioned in the Epstein files and did not know whether the documents were authentic.
At the risk of being seen to defend Sir Keir, this Mandelson thing is being a bit overblown isn't it? Yes, he appointed a friend of a paedophile to a prominent position, but he didn't appoint A PAEDOPHILE, the friend's job was nothing to do with access to young children, and Epstein was long dead anyway... Politics is a dirty game and Starmer played it by sending someone he knew was a bit crooked to deal with someone he thinks of as a bit crooked. If he'd sent the equivalent of Lisa Nandy and she had been chewed up and spat out by Trump and his team, we would be saying the PM had been naive, hence so many commentators saying Mandy was an inspired choice to deal with a unique case
Though there is a point here, there are two difficulties. Firsltly, goose and gander. Do you really think that if Sunak had been PM in this position that Starmer would have taken Isam's nuanced position, or would he have gone for the self righteous jugular? Take a guess.
Secondly, the model to follow in appointing people to deal with the USA under Trump is not dark arts people, or indeed nice and ineffective people, but Mark Carney. Names come to mind - Miliband D, Cameron, Osborne, and no doubt lots of less well known diplomats and career civil servants or CEOs.
Undoubtedly Sir Keir would have gone for pious, faux horror at anyone else making the mistake he has, but that doesn't mean I have to sink to his level!
Some classic BBC equivocation on Vance getting booed at the Olympic opening ceremony:
‘Some of the audience applauded the vice president’
His ICE security detail?
Didn't Osborne get booed at the London Olympics? Seems to be fair enough when a politician is out and about.
I think that the UK political audience is typically less respectful than the US. So it was unusual for Osborne but all part of the rough & tumble. But - assuming the boo-ers were US - then it’s more significant for Vance.
If the boo-ers were non American then it’s basically rude and disrespectful to a representative of a foreign country. They don’t have a dog in the hunt (although where Noem is concerned that may be a good thing!)
rude and disrespectful cuts both ways, and america has established the tone
The disrespect began with Harold Wilson I think
Macmillan was famously the brunt of satire outside Parliament, and I think held in some derision for his cuckoldry within those who knew?
Someone remarked that it was Mrs. Macmillan’s moustache that made her attractive to Robert Boothby.
Finally the Beeb are showing something at the Olympics a bit more exciting than Curling.
Almost all Winter Olympics events were from the Blue Peter 'make up a game to play in the snow' competition
I'd like to see you go down a mountain at 70-80mph with a pair of skis....perhaps you can tell us on the way down how the Conservatives are going to win the next election.
They arent. That was as simple as the slippy sliding
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
Do we know if it was a proper threesome, i.e. two females and one guy or fake threesome which is two guys and one female?
None of this should come as any surprise.
We already know she shagged AMW.
It's all utterly sickening.
I still cannot believe that days after Epstein was released from, Sarah Ferguson took her daughters to visit and stay with Epstein.
What kind of parent takes her daughters to see and stay with a convicted nonce?
Sarah Ferguson is a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.
Still, given their ages when she went to visit Epstein, there's a part of every parent's brain that always looks out for potential dangers to their kids, especially given their ages at the time of the visit.
Do we know if it was a proper threesome, i.e. two females and one guy or fake threesome which is two guys and one female?
None of this should come as any surprise.
We already know she shagged AMW.
It's all utterly sickening.
I still cannot believe that days after Epstein was released from, Sarah Ferguson took her daughters to visit and stay with Epstein.
What kind of parent takes her daughters to see and stay with a convicted nonce?
Sarah Ferguson is a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.
Still, given their ages when she went to visit Epstein, there's a part of every parent's brain that always looks out for potential dangers to their kids, especially given their ages at the time of the visit.
Psychologically, she was getting something from Epstein that she wasn't getting anywhere else.
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
Back to serious politics away from all this nonsense about Mandelson and Starmer.
The Newham Independents (NIP) have published their election poster and their six point plan (which has seven points) for the future administration of Newham is as follows:
1) Freeze Council Tax 2) Free First Car Permit 3) Support for the Elderly and Disabled 4) Free School Meals for Secondary School Children 5) More Social Housing 6) 2 Hours Free Parking for Every Resident 7) Cleaner and Safer Streets
Labour couldn't have asked for anything better - a list of meaningless platitudes and pledges which are simply about getting more money from someone.
For context, I pay £120 to park my car outside my house (unlike you wealthy sods, I have no garage) which is in a Controlled Parking Zone (up there with Business Intelligence and Data Management in my library of oxymorons) so between NOT collecting that and paying for school meals, I don't quite see how the Council Tax can be frozen.
Unfortunately, a lot of people will read this wish list and think it wonderful - this bluff old cynicmight have to tactically vote Labour or Green to stop this nonsense.
Lord Mandelson is hiring the best, were it to go trial, he'll be found innocent.
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
Do we know if it was a proper threesome, i.e. two females and one guy or fake threesome which is two guys and one female?
None of this should come as any surprise.
We already know she shagged AMW.
It's all utterly sickening.
I still cannot believe that days after Epstein was released from, Sarah Ferguson took her daughters to visit and stay with Epstein.
What kind of parent takes her daughters to see and stay with a convicted nonce?
Sarah Ferguson is a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.
Still, given their ages when she went to visit Epstein, there's a part of every parent's brain that always looks out for potential dangers to their kids, especially given their ages at the time of the visit.
Do we know if it was a proper threesome, i.e. two females and one guy or fake threesome which is two guys and one female?
None of this should come as any surprise.
We already know she shagged AMW.
It's all utterly sickening.
I still cannot believe that days after Epstein was released from, Sarah Ferguson took her daughters to visit and stay with Epstein.
What kind of parent takes her daughters to see and stay with a convicted nonce?
Sarah Ferguson is a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.
Still, given their ages when she went to visit Epstein, there's a part of every parent's brain that always looks out for potential dangers to their kids, especially given their ages at the time of the visit.
Full time - a narrow defeat to a fortunate Italy side in un Scottish weather conditions should be enough to get Townsend a 10 year contract extension with the SRU
Has anyone looked for Gregor Townsend in the Epstein files? Cos the SRU could really do with something that might break his World Cup contract.
Toonie will manage to get the troops fired up for a narrow defeat/enthralling win against the auld enemy... the rest of the tournament will be bog standard losses
Lucy Powell asking the Greens to stand aside for Labour in G&D
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
Lucy Powell asking the Greens to stand aside for Labour in G&D
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
Lucy Powell asking the Greens to stand aside for Labour in G&D
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
Lucy Powell asking the Greens to stand aside for Labour in G&D
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
Lucy Powell asking the Greens to stand aside for Labour in G&D
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
I do wonder if the Greens are massively overstating their position in G&D - the undergraduate vote rarely materialises and a proportion of the non-white population won't be eligible to vote as e.g. international students, not UK/Irish/Commonwealth citizens.
I'm willing to be wrong, but it's a crazy constituency and a result like 29%/27%/26% wouldn't be a surprise.
Lucy Powell asking the Greens to stand aside for Labour in G&D
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
Lucy Powell asking the Greens to stand aside for Labour in G&D
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
Sienna Rodgers @siennamarla NEW: Where potential successors stand at the end of a torrid week for PM
— Burnham supporters given up on him getting a seat under this leadership despite another GM one rumoured to become vacant soon — Some still on the Wes train & insist he understands deep rethink required – but others say Streeting too damaged by Mandelson scandal — There’s ‘Al-mentum’ behind Carns – but total lack of experience. He “would be a more right-wing PM than Thatcher” reckons one MP — Rayner still in lead but frozen by HMRC & some supporters worry about her “credibility” even after it wraps up — other options floated by soft left include Lucy Powell, Ed Miliband — surprise idea: John Healey as a “unifying figure” post-May
The holders of the Great Offices of State don't even get a mention.
I think Mahmood would be more than capable, but too many of the membership would have palpitations.
I think Mahmood might be very good. In betting terms, not WRT my own views, when you consider how it has given problems to a quite mainstream moderate evangelical like Tim Farron, occupying a small party leader position, is the party/country yet ready for a very committed Muslim PM? Do we have depth insight into exactly where she is on a few issues where mainstream Islamic opinion and majority UK opinion (ignoring all extremes) come into a degree of conflict?
My headcanon says this
Streeting = New Labour and the preferred candidate of the Blairites
Mahmood = Blue Labour and the preferred candidate of the Glasmanites
Rayner = Old Labour and the preferred candidate of the progressive left, soft left and (by elimination) the Corbynites
The Blairites have the money and will produce polls saying exactly what they want them to, so we can't discount him. Blue Labour are influential but don't have a power base, at least not yet. Rayner has the soul of the party and the MPs. So I figure Mahmood will come third and then it's a scrap between Streeting and Rayner. If it goes to the membership Rayner will win. (I forget the rules of Labour leader elections).
You need 81 MPs to nominate you, Streeting would get that but Rayner less clear?
There are 400-ish Labour MPs so Rayner needs 1 in 5. Sounds doable.
Comments
I have no idea how they achieved 43.9% last thursday beating Plaid [on Ynys Mon of all places ] with 25%
This is despite their former leader in prison for accepting bribes from a pro Russian politician
Goodwin Farage Braverman Jenrick and the others have to be defeated but how is another matter entirely
And this weeks Starmer - Mandleson drama has not helped one bit
Though of course that is only likely if rightwing Reform win most seats at the next general election and the leftwing Greens overtake Labour on seats too, leaving the left of the Tories and moderate Labour also rans and needing to ally with the Liberals. The remaining rightwing Tories and left of Labour would likely join with Reform or the Greens anyway
"'I've never taken drugs or drunk alcohol,' says Polanski"
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c1lz6p7ng0do
Mandelson visited by ‘heavy hitter’ defence lawyer
Adrian Darbishire seen at London home of disgraced peer, who is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office
Lord Mandelson has been visited at his north London home by a “heavy-hitting” defence barrister who specialises in white-collar crime.
Adrian Darbishire KC was seen at the door of the disgraced peer’s home near Regent’s Park on Saturday.
The property was one of two addresses raided on Friday night by police investigating Lord Mandelson for leaking sensitive No 10 documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Several officers entered Lord Mandelson’s multimillion-pound house in Camden, while Scotland Yard said another warrant was carried out at a Wiltshire property.
Lord Mandelson is under criminal investigation for misconduct in public office after files published in the US revealed that he passed market-sensitive documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet. The peer could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Mr Darbishire’s impressive CV would make him suited to the complexities of such a case.
His firm, QEB Hollis Whiteman, is regarded nationally and internationally as one of the leaders in the field of corporate and financial crime.
Mr Darbishire is described as specialising in the defence of professionals facing regulatory and criminal investigation as a result of their conduct at work.
His QEB profile states: “He is adept at assessing the best approach for a case and appealing to clients as they face the most difficult period of their career.”
It adds: “Adrian is a shrewd tactician who is at ease with complex investigations and has particular expertise of the specific issues that arise in them... He is a creative advocate providing novel solutions to difficult legal issues.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/07/lord-mandelson-visited-by-heavy-hitter-defence-lawyer/
The BIB, I love the modest and self effacing description.
- Streeting = New Labour and the preferred candidate of the Blairites
- Mahmood = Blue Labour and the preferred candidate of the Glasmanites
- Rayner = Old Labour and the preferred candidate of the progressive left, soft left and (by elimination) the Corbynites
The Blairites have the money and will produce polls saying exactly what they want them to, so we can't discount him. Blue Labour are influential but don't have a power base, at least not yet. Rayner has the soul of the party and the MPs. So I figure Mahmood will come third and then it's a scrap between Streeting and Rayner. If it goes to the membership Rayner will win. (I forget the rules of Labour leader elections).We already know she shagged AMW.
Ski Mountaineering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFJMvouCpH4
He must be one of the most boring people in the planet to spend any time with, still less elect into office.
I still cannot believe that days after Epstein was released from, Sarah Ferguson took her daughters to visit and stay with Epstein.
What kind of parent takes her daughters to see and stay with a convicted nonce?
Reform are doing well but have yet to convince in terms of policy and in the heat of an election campaign I suspect their internal contradictions (aided by some candidate choices) will damage them to the advantage of the Conservatives who are, to their credit, playing a bad hand well currently and are sensibly moving away from being Reform-lite to trying to carve out their own identity (though not without its own issues).
Labour have the advantage of a) being Not Reform and b) being the benficiaries IF there are is any smblance of improvement overall and it's a mixed picture depending on what bit of the picture you're looking at.
The LDs will dig in where they are strong and it's too early to be confident of a Green revival beyond one or two areas.
The irony is Labour would probably welcome a Conservative revival - split the "right" vote 35-15 and it's a Reform landslide and a Conservative wipeout but split it 25-25 and you probably get Labour back.
I don't know what a "middle class centrist" party is as these are terms I don't recognise or understand. All parties have middle class elements and once someone defines "centrism" for me I imagine I'll be able to find it in most parties. For all their bluster, I sense neither Reform nor Green are actually that radical.
The finances of The Prince of Darkness might be very constrained, he might get POCA'd senseless.
HMRC has been urged to launch a “cash for leaks” investigation into Lord Mandelson’s financial dealings with Jeffrey Epstein.
Documents released by the US department of justice suggest that Epstein sent $75,000 (£54,750) to the disgraced peer and a further £18,000 to his husband.
In turn, Lord Mandelson’s disclosures to the paedophile included plans for a multibillion-pound EU bailout, Gordon Brown’s resignation and the potential sale of government land and property.
Lord Mandelson has said he has “no recollection” of receiving the sums of money mentioned in the Epstein files and did not know whether the documents were authentic.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/02/07/investigate-mandelson-over-epstein-loans-hmrc-told/
I hope the royal family hold them close
That was as simple as the slippy sliding
Lol! Makes it sound almost normal.
Doesn’t he have a lateral flat in one of the Nash Terraces? That’s seriously expensive
This, for example, is only an average 3 bed flat. And Mandelson doesn’t settle for average…
https://www.iangreenresidential.com/property-for-sale/apartment-for-sale-in-gloucester-gate-regents-park-nw1/471
https://www.newsweek.com/prince-andrew-interaction-princess-eugenie-raises-eyebrows-online-1741984
Have you done Keir and Present Danger?
That was his skill.
https://www.newsweek.com/prince-andrew-interaction-princess-eugenie-raises-eyebrows-online-1741984
The Scots went from 115/3 to 133/9 today.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-233408
A prophetic warning from Peter Oborne back in 2023.
@DoubleDownNews
https://x.com/jamesmelville/status/2020118070715445346?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
The Newham Independents (NIP) have published their election poster and their six point plan (which has seven points) for the future administration of Newham is as follows:
1) Freeze Council Tax
2) Free First Car Permit
3) Support for the Elderly and Disabled
4) Free School Meals for Secondary School Children
5) More Social Housing
6) 2 Hours Free Parking for Every Resident
7) Cleaner and Safer Streets
Labour couldn't have asked for anything better - a list of meaningless platitudes and pledges which are simply about getting more money from someone.
For context, I pay £120 to park my car outside my house (unlike you wealthy sods, I have no garage) which is in a Controlled Parking Zone (up there with Business Intelligence and Data Management in my library of oxymorons) so between NOT collecting that and paying for school meals, I don't quite see how the Council Tax can be frozen.
Unfortunately, a lot of people will read this wish list and think it wonderful - this bluff old cynicmight have to tactically vote Labour or Green to stop this nonsense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hbkrpW88QA
L
O
L
I've now seen Mr Mirza is going to allow car owners over 60 to have free parking all day every day.
Fantastic - I can abandon the tube which I don't pay for and can now drive all the way to Upton Park and park wherever I like for nothing.
Progress - the greatest leap forward since the Great Leap Forward....
Does Maxwell wear a distinctive necklace, by any chance?
Has anyone looked for Gregor Townsend in the Epstein files? Cos the SRU could really do with something that might break his World Cup contract.
This by-election is bigger than day to day politics. It’s about stopping Reform’s toxic politics coming to my city. The Greens misleading claims, dodgy bar charts & briefings risk letting them in the back door. Only voting Labour can defeat Reform. My letter to @ZackPolanski 👇🏻
https://x.com/lucympowell/status/2019844349497069646?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
What she really means is that losing to the Greens would be a fecking disaster for Labour.
Better to lose to Reform than Green.
I'm willing to be wrong, but it's a crazy constituency and a result like 29%/27%/26% wouldn't be a surprise.