Claims that Trump sought to invoke nuclear codes against Iran
I don't know about anyone else but I think this should be a bigger news story than the developed vetting of an ex-ambassador to Washington.
Keir Starmer appears to be a victim of an entirely dysfunctional civil service. Nothing is his fault ever. Who would ever want to be a civil servant in a government that always throws its senior officials under the bus?
Andy Beckett on the potential demise of Labour's neglected ruby in the dust - "the Preston Model" as championed by @martinoneill.bsky.social which a struggling national leadership should have embraced rather than ignored.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This is absolutely disgraceful, unlawful and
a complete betrayal of a lawyer's commitment to act in the best interests of their client.
I expect Shabana Mahmood to announce her adoption of the Meloni scheme at the earliest opportunity.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
I think the Labour Party really is the party of reactionary technocracy now. The reason why there is no political strategy is because Blue Labour really does believe we should leave running everything to the Tech Bros - from the NHS to the MoD & the BBC. Nothing will change this direction of travel.
True, but it's being spun as the UK 'staying out of the war' because the RAF & the Royal Navy are not directly attacking Iran. Instead we are facilitating the USAF bombing of schools, hospitals & universities unlike France & Spain. But Trump is just as furious with Starmer as with the rest of NATO.
Not because Starmer is popular but because the alternatives are even worse. So for now Labour MPs are taking a better the devil you know approach.
For all his faults most Labour MPs think that Starmer has handled the Iran War & esp Trump well. If Starmer were to go would we really be better off with Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband or Wes Streeting at the helm? For now at least the answer is a resounding no.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
🤨🤨
For more on all this and how to support the campaign to Stop Palantir visit share.google/3mRcqalLx1X5...
This is the Mandelson story that should be really concerning us because Global Counsel was instrumental in lobbying for its client Palantir to be the preferred provider of not just the £330m NHS data contract but £millions of other public sector contracts from the police to the MoD to local councils
"As I write, the firm [Palantir] is reportedly working on a new app that will enable ICE to use Medicaid data to accelerate its ruthless wave of deportations."
Wes Streeting is refusing to publish vital briefing documents that will provide the truth about the risks of Palantir’s NHS data platform.
**COVID-19 BEREAVED FAMILIES FOR JUSTICE** --- Nigel Farage MP Leader of Reform UK Millbank Tower 21-24 Millbank London SW1P 4QP 17 April 2026 Dear Nigel Farage, We are writing on behalf of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, a group formed by people whose loved ones died from Covid-19 and who have fought ever since for truth, accountability and the changes needed to save lives in future. More than 230,000 people across the UK died from Covid-19. It is therefore deeply concerning that there is an emerging pattern of Covid and vaccine conspiracy theories among Reform UK candidates in the upcoming local and devolved elections. These falsehoods are an insult to those who died, cause real pain to the bereaved, and put public health at risk. Recent reporting has linked Reform candidates to a series of Covid and vaccine conspiracy claims. David Booth, standing for Reform in Croydon, was reported to have described Covid-19 as a "staged event" designed by "powerful forces". Glenda Hall, a Reform candidate in Sunderland, shared material asking whether Covid was the "hoax of the century". Emma Clatworthy, a Reform candidate in Wales, was reported to have shared a claim that people were rushing to get a vaccine that "can kill them". Kenneth Morton, a Reform candidate in Scotland, reportedly liked posts describing Covid-19 as "a psychological hoax" treated with a "fake vaccine". These are serious falsehoods about a virus that killed more than 230,000 people in this country, and about vaccines that saved millions of lives. When people seeking public office promote claims like these, they lend them credibility and put public health at risk. Yesterday, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry published its Module 4 report on vaccines and therapeutics. The report says Covid-19 vaccination programmes are estimated to have saved 14.4 million lives worldwide in their first year. More than 450,000 lives were saved in England and Scotland up to March 2023. But it also highlighted the need…
Covid Bereaved Families for Justice have written to Reform following my story on the party's Covid-conspiracy theorist candidate and others
We never hear from the BBC's Small Boats Correspondent when there are no or few arrivals. Strange that.
This begs the question - who took the decision to overturn the enhanced vetting process and why?
If it was because Peter Mandelson's appointment had already been announced then this would appear to be putting the avoidance of embarrassment for the PM ahead of national security considerations.
Chris Mason reporting that Sir Olly has been invited to appear before the FASC on Tuesday. Get your 🍿🍿🍿orders in!
Whether he was misled or not the Prime Minister is now admitting today that he did not tell the truth to Parliament. That is a serious matter especially given the national security implications of giving a top diplomatic appointment to a man who is now the subject of a police investigation.
“My committee asked several times whether red flags had been raised by Peter Mandelson’s vetting process. It seems there were,” she said. “Who overrode these concerns? Why were we kept in the dark? People need to stop messing us about and tell us the truth.”
@emilythornberry.bsky.social is the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. She has the power to call in Sir Olly Robbins to give his account of the Peter Mandelson vetting debacle next week. In other words she holds the political future of ex Foreign Sec David Lammy & the PM in her hands
Starmer goes Apr-June 7-1.
Starmer goes July-Sept 2.1-1
The odds are not looking good for him either way.
No 10's position 🙈🙉🙊
BBC News - www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
Starmer won't resign over Mandelson vetting row, senior minister tells BBC - live updates - BBC News
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Starmer will find it hard to argue that he was being honest when he said at a press conference in February that Mandelson got “clearance” from the vetting process
How likely on a scale of 0-0 is it that David Lammy having agreed to overrule the vetting process and press ahead with the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Ambassador to Washington said nothing about this to the Prime Minister or any of his senior staff? If Lammy goes Starmer must surely follow.
As well as being a great scoop by Guardian colleagues, this feels potentially very, very bad for Keir Starmer.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
The effective federal corporate income tax rate:
1950: 50%
1990: 25%
2020: 13%
Stop asking "but how we will pay for it?" Restore the corporate tax rate.
That is how we will pay for it.
