Starmer- “That I wasn’t told that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting when he was appointed is staggering.
“That I wasn’t told that he had failed security vetting when I was telling Parliament that due process had been followed is unforgiveable.”
Honestly, this is the most plausible explanation anyone had come up with
“High risk, high reward” - remind me again, what was the reward meant to look like?
Why did they get it in their heads that this was such an important thing to achieve that it required defying all doubt and convention?
If you step back, it is truly extraordinary that so many people went to such great lengths and broke so many conventions and risked their political careers and the only outcome of all these efforts and risks was appointing a washed-up old spinner to an ambassadorial post
BREAKING - Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting clearance but the decision was overruled by the Foreign Office
Investigation from Paul Lewis, @direthoughts.com and @pippacrerar.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Senior Labour figures have warned that Rachel Reeves must find alternative ways to increase military spending rather than slashing welfare, saying it risks diminishing public support for investment in defence.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Quite a flex to turn up at the presidential palace, get him to confirm you as prime minister, call him unfit to serve with no moral authority, tell him to resign, and then pose for a picture
3/3
This is about more than the technicalities of a UK/Swiss style deal.
I believe it falls on this generation of Labour MPs, and this Labour
government to rebuild our alliances and reimagine what is
possible in our relationship with the EU.
The full essay is here
substack.com/profile/3292...
2/3 Thank you to @jessicaelgot.bsky.social for covering.
As Jess says, my essay looks at the UK/EU relationship.
Immigration is falling sharply & 2026 is very different to 2024.
The case for a Swiss style access to the single market becomes stronger each day.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Shabana Mahmood’s migration changes are expected to save just £600m – about 6% of the £10bn the home secretary claimed, according to the government’s own data.
FOI data was obtained by @jdportes.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Nothing else matters this week!!!
Fair to say Trump hasn’t had the Midas touch when it comes to international endorsements
“Hungary has chosen Europe… A country reclaims its European path,” says VDL
🥹
Follow along with our liveblog of the Hungarian elections for what looks like a knockout for Tisza, and huge consequences for Europe if Orban is finally ousted
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Boasts that she was spying on his phone and then wrote a whole column slagging him off- wow what a great place to visit
Labour MP gets dragged publicly by a pub landlady for having the audacity to go into her pub, order food and spend money. Honestly no wonder decent people don’t want to go into public life. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
I’m sure the Starmer statement is well intentioned, fwiw!
God a lot of typos there… but hopefully sentiment captured.
Again, this is not a “Jewish community” issue - this should be something that everyone finds abhorrent. But even Keir Starmer’s statement frames this as an issue that is because the Jews have been complaining again. Kanye puts the emphasis on making amends to Jews. It’s exhausting.
I can have empathy that psychosis is possible and that Kanye has a verifiable mental illness. But hundreds of people facilitated him, they manufactured swastika T-shirts, they were extras and backing singers and producers of his Heil Hitler single and music video. Don’t these people have any morals?
A lot has bothered me about the reporting of the Kanye West banned. Firstly how it has been framed as all about it the Jewish community - but we should all be against Nazism! This country fought Nazis. Songs called Heil Hitler should not just be for the Jewish community to object to. And secondly…
Nothing sweeter on the evening of Easter Sunday than raiding the fridge-cold remains of Easter eggs which have been crumbled in your children’s sweaty little paws 🪺
What exactly could No10 be seeking with Europe? More details in tonight’s story
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
Labour MP Karl Turner has had the whip suspended.
I understand several MPs complained about an interview criticising No10 that Turner gave to Jody McIntyre for his X account.
McIntyre is a campaigner who stood against Jess Phillips at the general election in a campaign she heavily criticised.
