I am sure that was the thinking. But what made them think that Mandelson would use any leverage solely for UK's interests? It's worth noting that, despite the empahasis currently laid on it, it is not the Epstein association that is the main problem with the appointment.
I wonder who’s going to be sacked for sacking Robbins?
I think that's a fair point, especially re the less than honest pitch to be leader, but the option to break free was, and remains, there.
Hard to believe that Sue Gray would have allowed Starmer to appoint Mandelson (to anything). For someone who is basically honourable and so keen on 'the process' to allow himself to be dominated by political shysters is sad. He'd have won the election if I, or even Kemi, had been his election chief.
It's going to be even worse the next time they appoint Peter Mandelson
However I do really enjoy the moment in a political scandal when we all laser focus on the specific moment when the wheels came off. So I do need to question how Olly Robbins has managed to convince so much of today's press that it wasn't his job to tell anyone what he found out because.. vibes
Bold design choice, leaving me wondering what her name is.
I’ll never forget watching The Wicker Man with my outer Hebridean mum. “I just don’t know where there got all that wicker from”
I've never quite grasped how the rise of China has made me, the UK or the USA worse off. Tourist places more crowded but millions of Chinese people better off. Swings and roundabouts.
Yeah it's pathetic to suggest we can fund defence on the back of disability cuts but it's also a flat out lie to suggest we can do it by 'taxing billionaires' - both sets of people arguing for that are incredible irritating and I'd just like them to stfu, please.
Saw Project Hail Mary last night and thought that was money well spent. But Ryan Gosling's glasses annoyed me.
After we'd watched Harry perform on stage at Blackpool, my mother was most distressed that he did all the 'silly bits' when he had such a beautiful voice. I was bored by the singing.
Feeling seen!
The bases should never have been opened to US use. They should now immediately be closed to them. This is patently the case. It is a military power with explicitly genocidal intent. Given how severe that danger is, the reassurances of its military officials about authorised use are insufficient.
The civilization that would die if such threats were carried out is our own.
Artemis Fowl poster
Has there ever been a sequel that so comprehensively improved on the original more than Artemis II?
When Trump says that NATO is a paper tiger, he is stating that he would not abide by Article 5
What else makes sense?
A rabbit shaped woven figure in a supermarket with a tag that says ‘wicker bunny’
Do we… fill it full of rabbits and set fire to it?
The BBC news said they were fined , which confused me. This makes more sense.
This is not a criticism of anybody, but the experts booked for broadcast interviews are almost always some form of generalist. And they are often brilliantly helpful. But sometimes, as Ash demonstrated yesterday, you really need a specialist & the narrower the specialism the better for all of us!
It's not wrong at all. Chuck in a bit of paprika and you have a poor man's Thousand Island dressing.
Great White Egret sitting on a branch. It is mainly white, with pink upper legs and a yellow beak.
Bird on a branch this morning
The UK government is extending contracts with Fujitsu (despite the post office history) and Palantir (despite everything). We are now inviting Musk (of all people) to be involved in domestic electricity supplies. This is madness isn't it?
UK govt "will not tolerate" energy firms profiteering from Iran war.
It will do what?
Ofgem allows profiteering: electricity pricing formula is based on price of gas, renewables are the cheapest. Profiteering is built in.
Change the formula, levy windfall tax, prosecute profiteering execs.
I was at the College of Commerce when it merged with John Dalton and the Art School to become the Poly. Picking a Poly football team for Lancs League was tricky. We had two 'Poly' teams, a Commerce team and a Dalton team. I was frostily received on my one outing in the Dalton team despite scoring 3.
We're all seeing the same thing in that image, right?
The catch with this argument is that we already have a system which restricts jury trial, a fact with which I have never been comfortable. Because minor convictions can ruin lives. If only magistrates were better, but they are not going to improve.
“They seem to have built criminality into their business models” <the powerful & excellent ‘Dirty Business’ on @channel4news.bsky.social a must watch & we in the UK should hold the govt, the Environment Agency & water companies to account
www.channel4.com/programmes/d...
www.windrushwasp.org