A damning indictment on our politicians – politicalbetting.com
A damning indictment on our politicians – politicalbetting.com
67% of Britons see politicians as primarily out for themselvesOut for themselves: 67%Out for their party: 19%Out for their country: 4%yougov.co.uk/politics/art…
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To my eternal shame I never asked him if there were any mushy peas available.
The USA is arguably today the most unadulterated iteration of ancient British liberties that would still be recognized by our Saxon forefathers… To me, it is the ideas and the culture and the people that embody the Special Relationship between our two countries.
It’s also the entire US “mainstream” media.
The NY Times ran this headline yesterday, their first mention of the case.
It’s almost as if they prefer to be on the side of the murderer over a totally innocent victim, rather than admit Trump is right about violent crime in American cities.
Penzance: real end of the line feeling. You are definitely at a terminus and it’s at the very end of Cornwall. The station is by the sea. You exit to ozone and gulls and fish and chips and saltiness. And you are surrounded by Wild West Cornwall
But Penzance is a bit run down. Druggies and shuttered shops
Inverness is quite a handsome town. Granite everywhere. It’s not as dramatic as Penzance but you’re definitely on the door of the highlands and the wilds. The train over to Kyle is spectacular
Can also be rundown. And cold
Lille is probably the most architecturally appealing in itself. Nice French Flemish feel. But much more boring in location and nothing to see - unless you like world war 1 battlefields, in which case it’s fab
Like others here, I think most politicians sincerely are trying to make the world a better place.
Good afternoon
On Mandelson it is simply unacceptable for him to continue as our Ambassador to the US
The revelations this week of Trump, Mandelson, Clinton and others 50th birthday cards to Epstein, with the accompanying text, shames our Nation and that someone as close to Epstein should even be considered to represent us in America
Trump should also fall on his 'disgusting' revelations but, sadly, we cannot do anything about him, but Mandelson is our problem, and we can.
Labour mps should tell Starmer he has to demand his resignation irrespective of how it may compromise Starmer
Every Minister appearing in the media is simply going to be overwhelmed by questions about Mandelson's future
Furthermore, how can he be present at Trumps 'state' visit in the light of these revelations
Indeed, if he had any decency he would simply resign now
Reduce the number of MPs and Lords but give them much higher salaries. So they have less inclination to sleaze and much smarter people will try for the job
Right now we are ruled by morons as only morons fancy an underpaid career where they might get sacked any moment
For evidence, see Keir Starmer, a moron
@DPJHodges
Inside No.10 there’s a mounting sense of crisis. And it’s centred around the following dynamic. They realise that politically they have to cut Mandelson loose. But strategically they feel they can’t, because of Trump’s proximity to the Epstein issue. It’s the perfect storm.
https://x.com/DPJHodges/status/1965785548246876400
Is Trump right about violent crime in American cities? No. This was published in July: Through the first two quarters of the year [2025], overall crime has decreased 8% compared to this same time last year. Charlotte experienced a 25% reduction in violent crime, which includes homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults, encompassing shootings. Property crime, which includes residential and commercial burglary, auto theft and larceny, is down 5%. Crime is on the decrease in the places that Trump picks on. Crime is also generally lower in those places than in places with Republicans in charge that Trump doesn't mention. Trump is a convicted felon, who has pardoned violent criminals and is protecting the incarcerated sex offender girlfriend of his former friend Epstein. Trump doesn't care about the many Ukrainians his friend Putin kills every day, but he's going to pick on this case because it fits his narrative.
Trump himself had dropped Epstein well before that, supposedly after his behaviour towards Mar-a-Lago staff became a matter of concern.
Thirty or so years later we went back to that restaurant, which now had rave reviews and enjoyed a good meal and good service, so told the proprietor about our previous experience. She was amused, and very sympathetic, especially when she noticed I'd included a tip in my credit card payment.
Starmer will sack him the day Trump arrives then...
Jessica Elgot
@jessicaelgot
·
29m
Allies of Bridget Phillipson think she will comfortably sail past 80 nominations today, making her the front runner.
A two horse race looks likely with Phillipson versus Lucy Powell.
Many dissatisfied with Labour’s direction now lining up with Powell. Next results coming 7ish.
https://x.com/jessicaelgot
On Lille - my daughter went on a school trip to Lille last winter to visit the Christmas markets - less famous than the German counterparts but just as worthwhile. Perhaps you could do that?
All that said, if it were me I'd definitely go for Inverness. Regardless of the city at the end, that's the best train ride.
(Has anyone told Trump they are using Chinese drones.)
Controversial view: ask Boris Johnson if he wants the job. Two of his best friends internationally are Trump and Zelensky.
Grifters stop grifting when they become rich grifters.
There are exceptions - whatever one says about them, it's fairly obvious that neither Steve Baker or Jeremy Corbin are mainly out for themselves.
Somewhat unfortunately, it's generally ones who have got the furthest into this cycle of cynicism have also tended to the the ones most likely to grasp the levers of power - thus we have had such great leaders as Starmer and Johnson, neither of whom seem to have any idea what to do in the top job beyond "try and cling on to it".
Talk about 'shooting yourself in the foot'
Would you deprive us of the fun of watching Labour squirm as Starmer tries to square circles ?
Remember Trump and Epstein = bad men doing bad things ,, Mandelson and Epstein = poor Peter was deceived
No-one is trusting of the crime statistics, there’s evidence of even homicides being described as accidents in DC, where the President just sent in the troops to keep the peace.
Even if we trust the statistics implicitly, there’s a difference in the identity of the victims - no-one cares if a bunch of gangbangers kill each other every weekend, but everybody cares when a totally innocent (and let’s face it, very attractive and refugee) woman suddenly gets killed in cold blood on the transit system that almost everyone in the city uses on a daily basis.
The nearest equivalent in the UK is probably the Sarah Everard murder, when every young lady journalist in London suddenly realised that it could have been her that night.
That the suspect mentioned the race of the victim on the CCTV audio only adds fuel to the fire.
Oh, and the full video is all over social media, seriously don’t click on it.
Mandy will not be a strong issue for Nigey Nigelson
Fair to say that if Elon Musk hadn’t bought Twitter, this story wouldn’t exist as it does now.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15075591/judge-wishes-bombings-mastermind-best-7-7-walk-free.html
Tony Blair.
https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/mandys-mates-the-peter-mandelson-diaspora-6785303.html
and it reminded me he was in difficult water in 2009 due to meetings with David Geffen who is also mired in scandal about alleged sex parties and abuse.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-07-23/david-geffen-accused-of-abusing-husband-in-lawsuit
And the so called due process vetting didn’t raise this as a red flag ! And Starmer went along with this .
There were loads of choices for UK ambassador to the US who didn’t come with this baggage and who I expect could have been suitably sycophantic of Trump but apparently only Mandelson was capable of doing the job .
Once the video came out, the online MAGA types started ramping the case online to fit their narrative. I don't see anything wrong in the NYT reporting that.
Your claim that, "No-one is trusting of the crime statistics" is nonsense. The people casting doubt on the crime statistics are the same online MAGA types. It's the same as the doubt around the job statistics that happened as soon as the job statistics showed the damage that Trump is doing to the US economy. You are just peddling MAGA conspiracy theories again. Why you continue to post any old nonsense to support Trump, I don't know.
https://x.com/annmarie/status/1965796550938186187
Epstein’s assistant ‘sat on Queen’s throne’
Details contained in a book compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, who also had a private tour of Buckingham Palace
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/09/jeffrey-epstein-assistant-queen-throne-buckingham-palace/
“He hired help, and I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He stole people that work for me. I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He did it again,” Trump said.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/28/trump-jeffrey-epstein-maxwell-workers.html
One of the problems those of us who advocate this approach have is that the people whise job it is to convince the public of an argument are politicians. Whuch necessarily prompts a little scepticism about the altruism of the argument.
A “Rayner” in Singapore would be properly cancelled for life, looking at perhaps 10 years in the Big House, her wider family would be ashamed to admit that they’re related to her. While having to pay her rent, because she can’t even get a job on the till in the local supermarket.
There’s an argument that paying an MP £250k and the PM £500k, but on those conditions, can actually attract people interested in public service rather than the nakedly ambitious.
(him, I mean, Scott)
A Conservative party spokesperson issued this statement after PMQs.
Keir Starmer was in complete disarray at PMQs.
There are clearly questions he refuses to answer, because it appears he knew that Peter Mandelson had an intimate relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and still chose to appoint him to one of our country’s most important diplomatic and economic roles.
The prime minister has put his party, and his friend Mandelson above our national security. Only full transparency will now suffice. Starmer must immediately publish all documents related to Lord Mandelson’s appointment.
The claim that having Mandelson remain as ambassador to the US could compromise national security echoes what Ed Davey suggested at PMQs when he asked if the White House had further “compromising material” on Mandelson that could, Davey implied, by used by Donald Trump as leverage.
I do actually see a case for fewer and better paid MPs.
Officials have stopped the 2002 note becoming public, fearing it could damage UK-US relations
Officials blocked the release of a secret memo in which Lord Mandelson urged Sir Tony Blair to meet Jeffrey Epstein while he was prime minister.
Mandelson, who is Britain’s ambassador to the US, is understood to have encouraged Blair to meet Epstein in a 2002 note sent to key aides, advice which was passed on to the prime minister.
Documents were due to be made public as part of a standard National Archives release but this was blocked, The Times understands. It is thought that officials concluded the document might embarrass Britain and harm relations with the US at a time when Mandelson is seeking to build relations with President Trump.
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/peter-mandelson-epstein-tony-blair-hflxzg6c6
Singapore is about the last place on earth that I would want to break the law.
Probably leaked to them by the Brown Administration 😆
Why get all panic-stricken now? If he was the right person then he's still the right person now.
If not jump on the bus to either Drumnadrochit and do the Nessie tourust stuff and a cruise or down to Fort Augustus where they do some nice hourly cruises
If going to Fort William by sleeper, Linnhe Cruises do a great cruise on Loch Linnhe, you get up close and personal with seals and its very informative
Sir Robert Worcester, doyen of opinion pollsters who advised Wilson and Callaghan and founded Mori
He was held responsible for Callaghan’s disastrous delay to the 1979 election, and was later sacked as Labour’s pollster by Peter Mandelson
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/db0290296e2c846f
Gift subscription, not paywalled.
"Lie down with dogs, and pick up fleas."