While I am firm in my belief Starmer should go, and soon, isn’t it weird we’ve got sucked into a side argument over the process for a security clearance for Mandelson, the turning down of which had nothing to do with Epstein? It’s the British political class at its worst, I think.

Fox host says he 'hasn't washed hands in 10 years' Harvard and Princeton graduate Pete Hegseth says germs don't exist because he can't see them.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-u...

Wow. They’re so thick it’s almost impossible to credit.

They drew the maps. They rigged the districts. They counted on us staying home. We didn't. Virginia has a once-in-a-generation chance to take the power of redistricting out of politicians' hands and put it back where it belongs: with the people! #VoteYesVirginiaToday

This is absolutely it. You can't at the one hand go 'tepid bath of managed decline', then clearly signal who you want as ambassador and then be surprised that the process yields that outcome.

Ok, agreed!

Yes but it’s a range of factors - internal Labour politics no doubt, but also the belief that Mandelson’s an excellent networker/negotiator etc. Not that he’s uniquely qualified (you mention others) but that he could be good at it. Ironically, he proved to be so but his past caught up with him.

Is it a documented fact they *didn’t* think Mandelson’s abilities would prove useful with Trump? I mean, Robbins mentioned it just now.

Do you really think it had nothing to do with Trump-management? It seems v probable that Mandelson was viewed (in my view wrongly, and I said at the time) as more able than most to deal with MAGAworld.

The BBC, like most broadcasters, does not have a dedicated energy editor, which is a glaring omission given that almost everything revolves around energy

You’re just describing Tuesday 🤷‍♂️

There are different types of lies - Boris Johnson style: say an untruth about past events which you know to be false. But it’s also a lie, albeit v hard to prove, if you say “I would never have done x if I’d known y” when in fact if you’d known y, you would’ve said “just get it done”.

2/2

What emerges here is that it’s simply not credible that Starmer would have withdrawn his appointment of Mandelson had he known UKSV’s recommendation.

1/2

Reminds me of the World of Pencils which is one of those things that you have to go to when it’s raining in the Lake District.

the legendary toastoboros 🙏🏽

Good point!

Discuss

A good job there’s nothing serious going on in the world at the moment so we can devote all resources to this.

We’re thinking on the same lines.

It’s quite something to see this happening from across the pond where this scandal wouldn’t even be noticed or commented on at all.

Much more an indictment of the state of US politics but this really feels pretty small with the context of warmongering fascists marauding around the planet.

I agree, I said publicly at the time that he was a poor appointment.

British politics are in a depressing state and anybody who feels gleeful about recent events, perhaps because they enjoy the excitement of seeing the world burn, or because they dislike one of the people involved, is a short-sighted moron.

Basically, does the government still operate on any other level?

Trying to count the number of reviews into Mandelson’s appointment

1-‘Due diligence’
2-UKSV vetting
3-FCDO decision
4-Wormald review
5-Humble address process
6-Romeo/Little paperwork review
7-Mandelson security threat review

This might be important. But there are other, more important issues.

In China battery electric trucks and hybrid trucks now outsell diesel trucks for the first time.

This thread is endless but extremely helpful if you read it to the end.

LTTA and proud. I’ve missed a tiny number of flights and have saved myself hundreds of hours over the years. And I find airports depressing so those hours saved count double.

LTTA and proud. I’ve missed a tiny number of flights and have saved myself hundreds of hours over the years. And I find airports depressing so those hours saved count double.

Narrator: in fact, he had quite a lot of cards.

Trump’s antipathy for Pope may have roots in childhood Protestant church Manhattan church led by Norman Vincent Peale was known for opposing presidency of JFK – and Catholics in general

Oh come on @theguardian.com, no need to over analyze this. It's about one thing: the Pope criticized him. There's nothing deeper or religious about it.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...