Election 2024

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How are Labour doing after their first 12 months

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It's striking that a number of Labour MPs - or suspended former Labour MPs - have asked tricky questions.

In particular, Dame Emily Thornberry's suggestion that some in No 10 were so keen for Mandelson to be appointed, that overrode everything else.

Last week some Labour MPs seemed reluctant to criticise the prime minister. But after the prime minister's statement, I'm picking up that some are frustrated.

One has messaged to say the prime minister's performance was "abysmal" and the mood among Labour MPs was "very very bad".
 
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FosseFilberto said:
Reality is that everyone in the Labour hierarchy thought that Mandelson was the best option for US Ambassador at the time of appointment, not least because of his long established 'acquaintance' with Donald Trump and the perception (or reality) that he could (had the potential to) significantly influence Trump's thoughts on UK issues and concerns ...

Lots of blind eyes got turned and 'edges smoothed' and Mandelson himself must have known there were further 'Epstein revelations' to come out ... but typical of the man, his ego was not to be reigned in easily and he likely thought he could ride any 'revelations wave' on a mix of having forgotten the chronology of emails etc with the passage of time and that he'd always believed in 'poor Jeffery's' innocence until it became obvious that the rumours weren't just rumours blah, blah...

Do I think Starmer knew all of that and ignored it? - no - not for me - he trusted various individuals to perform aspects of their jobs and they've let him down badly, possibly because they thought they were actually helping in getting Starmer's preferred candidate in the role ... and he was Starmer's preferred candidate, for sure ... just as he was everyone else's in Government.
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He employed him, he needs to take responsibility for that employment.

You say Mandelson must have known there were more revelations to come out, well I'd turn that that the other way and say, so did Keir not know about the revelations before his appointment nor someone in his government point this out...
  • September 2025: Following the release of Epstein files, reports emerged detailing the depth of Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, including his travel on Epstein's private jet and staying at his Manhattan apartment while Epstein was serving a prison sentence.
This was as much about Starmers ego as it was Mandelson's. If Keir is frightened of making difficult decisions (not appointing him) because he's scared of what people might say, in all honesty he probably shouldn't be in the job.

Blaming others for your own failings of due diligence is a bit of a cop out.

He could have asked more questions of people, but chose not to, yet he constantly used vetting as his defence for appointing Mandelson in the House and the Media. Well that's now bitten him on the arse.

He also did not tell the House immediately, he only did it 48 hours later after completing his own investigation (covering his back) and only because The Guardian broke the story.

Keir Starmer...

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Do I want him to go, no because there is no one to replace him.
 
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Anyway round two tomorrow with that Olly fella in front of the Commons Commitee I think.
 
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Archers Road said:
We'll see I guess. I doubt he'll be giving the PM a glowing reference.
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So far he’s only said that No.10 were dismissive of Mandelson’s vetting. They were giving him that job, whatever.

Hard to believe Starmer didn’t know about all of this.
 
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