Politics
Nancy Sinatra Walks All Over Donald Trump For Frank Sinatra Post
These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ singer Nancy Sinatra made it clear that Donald Trump was a heel, after the US president shared a video of her late father Frank Sinatra singing My Way.
Without explanation, Trump posted the vintage clip of the Chairman of the Board crooning the classic tune of a man looking back on his life without compromise on Saturday.
The posted prompted all kinds of speculation about the reasons behind it, but Nancy clearly wasn’t interested in the president’s motive.
She lamented: “This is a sacrilege.”
One person asked if Nancy could do anything about it, to which she replied, “Unfortunately no. The only people who can do something are the publishers.”
Even that route may not prove fruitful, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“There’s a big difference between Trump using music at rallies or in ads, where a license is required, and merely sharing a video on social media,” the show business outlet wrote.
My Way is one of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ signature hits, but he didn’t sing the original version, Comme D’Habitude, previously performed in French (and co-composed) by Jacques Revaux.
Ron Galella via Getty Images
Nancy has made it clear in plain English that her father was no fan of the two-time president – and nor is she.
Last year, she responded to a commenter on X who wrote that the singing legend would vote for Trump if he were still alive.
“Not a chance,” Nancy said of her dad, who died in 1998 at the age of 82.
“You obviously don’t know my father at all. Do some homework before you post about him.”
Ron Galella via Getty Images
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The Scottish Greens have been laying out policy plans ahead of the Holyrood elections on 7 May. The party is hoping for a “breakthrough” result.
They’ve pledged action to make maternity care safer for women, babies and staff. The Greens would introduce earn-as-you-learn routes to bring more people into the midwife profession and ensure that financial barriers don’t put off those who want to train.
And as part of plans to cut the cost of living and protect the environment, the Scottish Greens will introduce a Scottish Repair Voucher scheme. This would allow people to get a discount on repairing household goods at participating manufacturers and retailers.
Safer maternity services
Earn-as-you-learn midwife training is part of a range of measures. These will also include minimum safe staffing levels on all maternity and labour wards.
The Scottish Greens say the changes are vital to ease pressure on overstretched maternity services. And they would ensure women and families get the safe, high-quality care they deserve throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay said:
Too many women and families are being let down by a maternity system that is under enormous strain while midwives are being asked to do more and more in overstretched services. That is not fair on them or on the people relying on their care.
For far too long, staff have been carrying the burden of workforce shortages, rising pressure and a system that is too often stretched beyond safe limits. That has real consequences for the quality of care, for staff wellbeing and for the confidence families should be able to have in maternity services.
Dignity, safety and making sure every family gets the care they deserve at one of the most important moments in their lives is crucial. Women should know that when they need care, the right staff will be there, with the time and capacity to support them properly.
That is why the Scottish Greens are committed to introducing minimum safe staffing levels on all maternity and labour wards and expanding the midwife workforce by creating accessible earn-as-you-learn routes into midwifery.
Because, if we are serious about fixing the staffing crisis, we need to remove the barriers that prevent more people from taking up training in the profession in the first place.
On 7 May, people have a chance to vote for the Scottish Greens who will demand better for women’s health, better for maternity care and better for the staff who keep these services going.
Greens to introduce Scottish Repair Voucher scheme
A coalition of charities and waste management groups launched the UK’s first repair voucher pilot scheme in North London in 2025. It allowed residents to get up to 50% off the cost of repairs at participating businesses.
Similar schemes have already proven successful in other European countries, including Austria, France and Germany.
This is part of a package of measures that the party is proposing to reduce waste and save people money. This would include a requirement on some product manufacturers to take back used products, such as mattresses and textiles, at the end of their life.
Mackay said:
If we’re serious about tackling the cost-of-living crisis and the climate crisis, then we have to make it cheaper and easier for people to do the right thing. Our repair voucher scheme will make it cheaper to repair the things we already own rather than buying them again as new.
It is a simple and straightforward way of putting money back into people’s pockets. By covering part of the cost of fixing everyday items, we can help households to stretch their budgets and avoid unnecessary big purchases.
The benefits are wider, as it will also help us to cut waste while supporting local repair businesses. It’s a win for households struggling with the cost of living, and a win for the small businesses rooted in our communities.
These kinds of schemes are already common across Europe and are already helping to support people through the cost of living crisis while reducing waste and protecting our planet. It’s time to do the same in Scotland.
Featured image via the Canary
By The Canary
A global accounting giant and an economic forecasting firm say the war in Iran could see 250,000 people lose their jobs in 2027. The math is simple: the ruling class wages war and makes money, and workers carry the costs. Professional services giant Deloitte and economic forecasters at EY Item Club delivered their warning on 20 April.
Iran: economic blowback
The Guardian reported:
The EY Item Club also expects unemployment to hit 5.8% by the middle of 2027, up from the current five-year high of 5.2%, with almost 250,000 more people losing their jobs because of the crisis in the Middle East.
Adding:
If the forecast is correct, that would increase the number of jobseekers from 1.87 million now to more than 2.1 million.
Meanwhile, EY Item Club economist Matt Swannell said:
Spiralling energy costs and disruption to supply chains will push the UK to the brink of a technical recession in the middle of this year.
Consumers’ spending power will be squeezed, while more expensive financing arrangements and a less certain global economic backdrop will pour cold water on companies’ investment plans.
Deloitte’s head economist Ian Stewart told the Guardian:
Finance leaders are coping with high levels of external uncertainty and their focus is on managing risks from geopolitics, rising energy prices and higher financing costs,” said Ian Stewart, the chief economist at Deloitte UK.
‘Cost control’ = job cuts
The newspaper reported:
When asked about the consequences of adverse geopolitical developments over the next three years, the top three concerns among CFOs were energy costs (61%), inflation and interest rates (61%) and an increase in cyber-attacks (60%).
Stewart said:
Rarely in the last 16 years have UK CFOs been more focused on cost control than today.
He said the current “challenging environment”:
is prompting CFOs to scale back expectations for margins and sharpen their focus on cost reduction and cash conservation.
Adding:
The immediate priority for finance leaders is to strengthen balance sheets in the face of external headwinds.
Let’s translate this into plain English…
The foreign policy decisions – notably around Iran – of Trump and Starmer are coming home to roost. And the victims of any downturn aren’t going to be millionaires and billionaires. Hard-pressed workers will be hit to “strengthen balance sheets” in the “face” of “external headwinds”. That is to say, their jobs could be cut to keep the bank accounts of the wealthy swollen.
Any sensible political party would push against this. But none of the big parties is likely to…
People say British mainstream politicians are impossible to tell apart. That charge is essentially true. The fact is they all align on having an aggressive foreign policy and a commitment to free market capitalism.
Some would say foreign policy doesn’t figure in domestic elections – especially council elections. But these are not normal times. Faced with rising fascism, there are few electoral alternatives to the brutal free market capitalism and forever wars which produce it. Yet they do exist. Local council elections are on 7 May 2026. You can find out about eligibility, ID requirements and register to vote here.
Featured image via the Canary
By Joe Glenton
The EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) has fully kicked into place for UK passengers after its October rollout.
It’s a biometric system (including a photo and/or fingerprints) that registers non-EU nationals every time they make a short stay in Schengen countries.
The EU’s site says it’s designed to eventually replace passport stamps and offer a more “efficient” version of EU check-ins. But so far, there have been early hiccups: EES has been blamed for border delays that left passengers behind and “hours-long queues”.
In response, airlines like TUI, Jet2, and easyJet have shared advice.
Which countries are affected by the EES system?
The Schengen countries involved are:
- Austria,
- Belgium,
- Bulgaria,
- Croatia,
- Czechia,
- Denmark,
- Estonia,
- Finland,
- France,
- Germany,
- Greece,
- Hungary,
- Iceland,
- Italy,
- Latvia,
- Liechtenstein,
- Lithuania,
- Luxembourg,
- Malta,
- Netherlands,
- Norway,
- Poland,
- Portugal,
- Romania,
- Slovakia,
- Slovenia,
- Spain,
- Sweden, and
- Switzerland.
The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are excluded from EES systems as they’re not Schengen countries.
What advice have airlines given to UK travellers for EES checkins?
The advice so far includes:
British Airways
Their site reads, “You should allow extra time to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, the first time you enter the EU. There is no cost for EES registration, and your digital record will last three years before you need to register again.”
And responding to an X post by a passenger, the company added: “We ask customers travelling on our European short-haul flights to be there two hours prior to departure. It would be three hours if you’re travelling on a long-haul flight and one if you’re travelling on a domestic flight within the UK.”
TUI
In a travel alert, they said: “At some airports, you might still find longer queues, particularly at busy travel periods.”
They added, “To help your journey run as smoothly as possible, please allow a little extra time when passing through border control. Keep any essential medication in your hand luggage in case of delays, and when departing the EU, head straight to passport control after dropping your bags to avoid hold‑ups. Bringing some extra water for comfort is also a good idea.”
Jet 2
The company shared, “There may be longer wait times at Border Control at some EU Airports, especially at busy times. Once you start your EES registration, it should take around 1-2 minutes per person to complete.
“There may be longer wait times than usual when you arrive in destination and before your flight back to the UK. Unfortunately, this is outside of our control. But remember, there’s nothing you can prep before you travel.”
The airline added, “You’ll also need to pass through EES when leaving the EU in the same way you do on arrival. Depending on how busy the airport is, this may result in longer wait times at passport control before boarding your flight to the UK. After checking in for your flight, please head straight to security and passport control in order to arrive at your gate in plenty of time.”
easyJet
The airline pointed out that while kids under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting, passengers “may experience longer waiting times on arrival, so allow extra time and factor this in when planning onward travel, including trains, taxis, or flight transfers”.
Plan your journey, arrive early, use Bag Drop as soon as possible if you’re availing of the service, get through security as fast as possible, and “be aware that there may be further checks at passport control after security and before reaching your gate,” they said.
Ryanair
They warned that queues might be longer as airports adjust to the system.
“Have your passport ready and follow EES signs,” they wrote.
“We recommend arriving at the airport with extra time to allow for these additional checks, especially during busy travel periods.”
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Other than at the gym and when I have a UTI (which is, unfortunately, pretty often) my pelvic floor isn’t something I’ve ever given much thought to.
Admittedly, I pee probably 20 times a day (for real) but I’d always attributed that to the fact I drink a shit ton of water, tea, and coffee.
Whenever I see those ‘do your kegels with me’ videos on TikTok or Instagram reels, I’ll follow along (I’m fickle, after all). And by my judgement, it does seem like I know how to do a kegel.
But otherwise, I go about my life pretty much entirely ignorant of my pelvic floor health.
When I heard that Smile Makers Collection – the creators of some of my favourite sex toys like the Ballerina and Poet – was venturing into the wellness category with the launch of Pelvic Partner, I wasn’t exactly excited.
I mean, vibrators are one thing, but pelvic floor trainers are another thing – perhaps necessary, but they’re not going to give you any thrills. Or, so I thought.
When I received the Pelvic Partner, though, that changed everything I thought I knew about the pelvic floor.
What is the pelvic floor and how do you engage it?
If, like me, you’re wondering why the pelvic floor really matters, it might surprise you to learn that strengthening this group of hidden muscles can help prevent unwanted symptoms as you age.
The muscles surround the bladder, bowels, and reproductive organs, which means they can weaken as you age, during menopause, or during and after childbirth.
Weak pelvic floor muscles can result in incontinence, instability, lower back pain, and needing the toilet often, while having a pelvic floor that is too tight can also result in constipation, pain during sex, and erectile dysfunction.
To prevent your pelvic floor weakening as you age, the NHS recommends doing daily pelvic floor exercises. This involves squeezing your muscles to engage them for two seconds and releasing, and repeating 10 times.
Not sure how to tell you’re doing it right? The NHS describes the sensation as the same as when you’re stopping yourself from peeing and farting. So it’s about to get hot and sexy up in here.
How to use the Pelvic Partner
Thankfully, Pelvic Partner easy as to use (you’re not going to get me to do exercise any other way).
After charging it using the USB cable, you simply slather the surface in lube, pop it inside your vagina up until the ‘comfort line’ and bend the tail towards your belly button.
You then turn it on, using the button at the end of the tail, and switch between the eight ‘training programmes’ the toy is equipped with.
Just like you’d train at the gym, Smile Makers Collection recommends using the Partner three times a week for two to three sets, at 10-15 reps per session.
To start with, the brand suggests choosing a setting you can complete all your exercises with. Settings one and two are ‘gentle’ to teach you how to engage your pelvic floor; three and four are ‘building’; five and six are ‘strong’; and seven and eight are ‘advanced’.
Once you feel like it’s easy to complete your session, you can move up to the next setting. This would be easy, I thought.
My review of the Pelvic Partner
How I tested
About me: I’m a 26-year-old woman who doesn’t have children. I’ve been testing sex toys and sexual wellness products for around five years, both in this role and my previous role at Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, and Men’s Health, as well as while running my podcast/magazine, Sextras.
I’ve been using Smile Makers Collection’s Pelvic Partner for three weeks, making sure to not testing any other pelvic floor products at the same time.
As someone who has never done pelvic floor exercises consistently, I made sure to stick to a regime of three times a week. I also followed the brand’s instructions of how to use the trainer to make sure I was getting the most out of it.
First impressions
First up, this little orange device has two bulbous spheres that are supposed to sit inside your vagina – and just from giving it a squeeze with my hands, it felt fantastic.
Covered in smooth silicone, the toy has a cushiony feel to it, which is unlike other internal sex toys and pelvic floor trainers I’ve tried. This also makes it slick enough for washing it to take seconds.
Upon turning it on, I could tell exactly how the toy would work. It’s loaded with 360 degrees of haptic squeeze sensors, which means it vibrates when you’re engaging your pelvic floor.
To make sure you know what setting you’re on, the trainer will buzz the same amount of times, making it extremely intuitive.
Even better, it doesn’t require an app, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about it storing any of my sensitive data.
Final verdict
As someone who has done mat Pilates at least once a week for the last few years, I have always believed myself to know where my pelvic floor muscles are, and how to engage them. I’ve also never had any serious health conditions linked to my pelvic floor, so I didn’t think I had any issues with strength down there.
The first time I tried this trainer, it became clear just how wrong I was. While its first two settings felt like light work – it immediately vibrated at even the slightest contraction on the first one – the move up to the third setting was significant.
While I could easily do 10 reps, it felt tricky (to say the least) to keep going after just one set. I just about managed two, and thought I’d move up to the fourth programme just to see if I could hack it. But no ball. No matter how hard I tried, I simply could not make the damn thing buzz.
Now, I’m not exactly a competitive person, which is why I’ve always been a begrudging exerciser. With this trainer, though, I started to feel myself become competitive the more I used it.
Determined to move up through the strengths, I committed to using it three times a week.
And in the span of a mere seven days, I was able to move up to the fourth setting with no problem at all.
I even think the trainer has helped with my posture and my workouts. At my weekly Pilates class, I have found myself engaging my core in a way I didn’t know I needed to previously.
Another welcome side effect is that my orgasms feel slightly stronger, or at least I’m more aware of my pelvic floor during penetration – and I’m excited to see how this builds as I work up through the programmes.
Overall, I’d rate the trainer five stars – both for design, ease of use, and results I didn’t know I needed.
Keir Starmer has said it “beggars belief” that he was not told the full story about Peter Mandelson’s vetting by Foreign Office officials.
The prime minister acknowledged that many MPs would find his remarks about the latest Mandelson revelations “to be incredible”.
The comments came as Starmer delivered a statement to the House of Commons updating MPs on the appointment of Mandelson as British ambassador to the United States.
Read the full statement below:
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Northern Ireland RE curriculum is ‘indoctrination’ – Supreme Court
Thank you Mr Speaker, with permission…
I would like to provide the House with information I now have…
About the appointment of Peter Mandelson…
As our ambassador to the United States.
But Mr. Speaker, before I go into the details…
I want to be very clear with this House…
That, while this statement will focus…
On the process surrounding Peter Mandelson’s vetting and appointment…
At the heart of this, there is also a judgement I made that was wrong.
I should not have appointed Peter Mandelson.
I take responsibility for that decision.
And I apologise, again…
To the victims of the paedophile, Jeffrey Esptein…
Who were clearly failed by my decision.
Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday evening, the 14th of April…
I found out, for the first time…
That on the 29th January 2025…
Before Peter Mandelson took up his position as Ambassador…
The Foreign Office officials granted him developed vetting clearance…
Against the specific recommendation of United Kingdom Security Vetting…
That developed vetting clearance should be denied.
Not only that…
The Foreign Office officials who made that decision…
Did not pass this information…
To me…
To the Foreign Secretary…
To her predecessor, the Deputy Prime Minister…
To any other Minister…
Or even to the former Cabinet Secretary, Sir Chris Wormald.
I found this staggering.
And therefore, last Tuesday…
I immediately instructed officials in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office…
To urgently establish the facts on my authority.
I wanted to know who made the decision…
On what basis…
Who knew…
And Mr Speaker I wanted that information…
For the precise and explicit purpose of updating this House.
Because this is information I should have had a long time ago…
And it is information this House should have had a long time ago.
Information that I and the House had a right to know.
I will now set out a full timeline of the events in the Peter Mandelson process…
Including from the fact-finding exercise I instructed last Tuesday.
Before doing so – I want to remind and reassure the House…
That the Government will comply fully…
With the Humble Address motion of the 4th February.
Mr Speaker, in December 2024
I was in the process of appointing a new Ambassador for Washington.
A due diligence exercise was conducted by the Cabinet Office…
Into Peter Mandelson’s suitability…
Including questions put to him by my staff in Number 10.
Peter Mandelson answered those questions on the 10th December…
And I received final advice on the due diligence process on the 11th.
I made the decision to appoint him on the 18th December…
The appointment was announced on the 20th…
And the security vetting process began on the 23rd December 2024.
Mr Speaker, I want to make clear to the House…
That for a Direct Ministerial Appointment…
It was usual for security vetting to happen after the appointment…
But before starting in post.
That was the process in place at the time…
Mr Speaker, this was confirmed by the former Cabinet Secretary, Sir Chris Wormald…
At the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on the 3rd of November 2025 when he gave evidence…
Sir Chris made clear, and I’m quoting him now:
“When we are making appointments from outside the civil service…
The normal thing is for the security clearance to happen after appointment…
But before the person signs a contract and takes up post…”
At the same hearing of the same Select Committee…
The former Permanent Secretary to the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins said, and I quote again…
Peter Mandelson “did not hold national security vetting when he was appointed…
But as is normally the case with external appointments to my Department and the wider civil service…
The appointment was made subject to obtaining security clearance”.
Mr Speaker, after I sacked Peter Mandelson…
I changed that process…
So that now an appointment cannot be announced…
Until after security vetting is passed.
Mr Speaker, the security vetting was carried out by UK Security Vetting (UKSV)…
Between the 23rd of December 2024 and the 28th of January 2025.
UKSV conducted vetting, in the normal way…
Collecting relevant information…
As well as interviewing the applicant – in this case, on two occasions.
Then, on the 28th of January 2025…
UKSV recommended to the Foreign Office…
That developed vetting clearance should be denied to Peter Mandelson.
The following day, on the 29th of January 2025…
Notwithstanding the UKSV recommendation that developed vetting clearance should be denied…
Foreign Office officials made the decision…
To grant developed vetting clearance for Peter Mandelson.
To be clear…
For many Departments, a decision from UKSV is binding.
But for the Foreign Office, the final decision on developed vetting clearance…
Is made by Foreign Office officials…
Not UKSV.
However, once the decision in this case came to light…
The Foreign Office’s power to make the final decision on developed vetting clearance…
Was immediately suspended by my Chief Secretary last week.
Mr Speaker, I accept that the sensitive personal information provided by an individual being vetted… Must be protected from disclosure.
If that were not the case, the integrity of the whole process would be compromised.
What I do not accept…
Is that the appointing minister cannot be told of the recommendation by UKSV.
Indeed, given the seriousness of these issues…
And the significance of the appointment…
I simply do not accept that Foreign Office officials could not have informed me…
Of UKSV’s recommendations…
Whilst also maintaining the necessary confidentiality that vetting requires.
There is no law that stops Civil Servants sensibly flagging UKSV recommendations
While protecting detailed sensitive vetting information…
To allow Ministers to make judgements on appointments or on explaining matters to Parliament.
So let me be very clear, the recommendation in the Peter Mandelson case could and should have been shared with me…
Before he took up his post.
Mr Speaker
Let me make a second point.
If I had known, before he took up his post…
That UKSV recommendation was that developed vetting should be denied…
I would not have gone ahead with the appointment.
Mr. Speaker, let me now move to September 2025…
Because events then – and subsequently…
Show with even starker clarity…
The opportunities missed by Foreign Office officials…
To make the position clear.
On September 10th, Bloomberg reported fresh details of Mandelson’s history with Epstein…
And it was then clear to me…
That Peter Mandelson’s answers to my staff in the due diligence exercise were not truthful…
And I sacked him.
I also changed the Direct Ministerial Appointments process…
So full due diligence is now required as standard…
Where risks are identified – an interview must be taken, pre-appointment…
To discuss any risks and conflicts of interest…
And a summary of this should be provided to the appointing Minister…
I also made clear that public announcements should not now be made until security vetting has been completed.
Mr Speaker, in light of the revelations in September of last year, I also agreed with the then Cabinet Secretary, Sir Chris Wormald…
That he would carry out a review of the appointment process in the Peter Mandelson case, including the vetting.
He set out his findings and conclusions in a letter to me on the 16th of September.
He advised me, in that letter, and again I quote…
“The evidence I have reviewed leads me to conclude that appropriate processes were followed…
In both the appointment and withdrawal of the former HMA Washington”.
When he was asked about this, Mr Speaker, last week…
The then Cabinet Secretary was clear…
That when he carried out his review, the Foreign Office…
Did not tell him about the UKSV recommendation…
That developed vetting clearance should be denied to Peter Mandelson.
I find that astonishing.
As I set out…
I do not accept that I could not have been told about the recommendation…
Before Peter Mandelson took up his post.
I absolutely do not accept that the then Cabinet Secretary – an official not a politician –
when carrying out his review, could not have been told…
That UKSV recommended that Peter Mandelson should be denied developed vetting clearance…
It was a vital part of the process that I had asked him to review…
Clearly, he could have been told and he should have been told.
Mr Speaker, on the same day as the then Cabinet Secretary wrote to me – so that’s the 16th of September 2025…
The Foreign Secretary and the then Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins…
Provided a signed statement to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
The statement says, and again I quote…
“The vetting process was undertaken by UK Security Vetting on behalf of the FCDO…
And concluded with DV clearance being granted by the FCDO…
In advance of Lord Mandelson taking up post in February.
It went on to say, and again I quote:
“Peter Mandelson’s security vetting was conducted to the usual standard set for Developed Vetting in line with established Cabinet Office policy”.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear to the House…
This was in response to questions which included…
Whether concerns were raised…
What the Foreign Office’s response was…
And whether they were dismissed.
Mr. Speaker, that the Foreign Secretary was advised on…
And allowed to sign this statement by Foreign Office officials…
Without being told that UKSV had recommended Peter Mandelson be denied developed vetting clearance…
Is absolutely unforgivable.
This is a Senior Cabinet Member…
Giving evidence to Parliament…
On the very issue in question.
Mr Speaker, in light of further revelations about Peter Mandelson in February of this year…
I was very concerned about the fact that developed vetting clearance had been granted to him.
Not knowing that, in fact, UKSV had recommended denial of developed vetting clearance…
I instructed my officials to carry out a review of the national security vetting process.
As I set out…
I do not accept that I could not have been told about UKSV’s denial of security vetting before Peter Mandelson took up his post in January 2025.
I do not accept that the then Cabinet Secretary could not have been told in September 2025…
When he carried out his review into the process.
I do not accept that the Foreign Secretary…
Could not have been told when making statements to the Select Committee, again in 2025.
But, Mr Speaker, on top of that, the fact that I was not told even when I ordered a review of the UKSV process…
Is frankly staggering.
And I can tell the House,
That I have now updated the Terms of Reference for the review into Security Vetting…
To make sure it covers the means by which all decisions are made in relation to National Security Vetting
I have appointed Sir Adrian Fulford to lead the review.
Separately…
I have asked the Government Security Group in the Cabinet Office…
To look at any security concerns raised during Peter Mandelson’s tenure.
Mr. Speaker…
I know many members across the House…
Will find these facts to be incredible.
To that I can only say – they are right.
It beggars belief…
That throughout the whole timeline of events…
Officials in the Foreign Office…
Saw fit to withhold this information…
From the most senior Ministers in our system in Government.
That is not how the vast majority of people in this country…
Expect politics, government, or accountability to work.
And I do not think it is how most public servants think it should work, either.
I work with hundreds of civil servants…
Thousands even…
All of whom act with the utmost integrity, dedication and pride to serve this country…
Including officials from the Foreign Office…
Who as we speak…
Are doing a phenomenal job…
Representing our national interest in a dangerous world…
In Ukraine…
In the Middle East…
And all around the world.
This is not about them.
But yet it is surely beyond doubt…
That the recommendation from UKSV…
That Peter Mandelson should be denied developed vetting clearance…
Was information…
That could and should have been shared with me on repeated occasions…
And therefore, should have been available to this House…
And ultimately to the British people…
And I commend this statement to the House.
Support for Keir Starmer among Labour MPs appears to be draining away as he fights for his political life amid the latest Peter Mandelson scandal.
The prime minister eventually told MPs – nearly two hours into his appearance in the Commons – that he did not mislead them when he said due process had been followed when the shamed former peer was vetted for the role of US ambassador.
But by then, the benches behind him were sparse as his own MPs decided to leave the chamber rather than stay to give the prime minister their backing.
“Labour MPs are voting with their feet,” one senior party insider told HuffPost UK.
The prime minister had told parliament it was “staggering” that neither he nor any of his ministers had been told that Mandelson had failed to pass security vetting.
Starmer only found out last Tuesday, and two days later sacked Olly Robins, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, whose decision it was to give Mandelson the all-clear to take up his role in Washington.
“This is information I should have had a long time ago, and it is information that the house should have had a long time ago,” the PM said. “It is information that I and the house had the right to know.”
But his pleas were not met with a wave of support from Labour MPs, many of whom are furious with him for appointing Mandelson to the plumb diplomatic role in the first place.
Emily Thornberry, who is chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee that will take evidence from Olly Robbins on Tuesday, was among those who attacked the Downing Street operation.
She said: “I am afraid to say, doesn’t this look like, for certain members of the prime minister’s team, getting Peter Mandelson the job was a priority that overrode everything else and that security considerations were very much second order.”
Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan said: “The real question is why, when Peter Mandelson’s reputation was already known, was he ever considered for such an important role.”
Veteran backbencher John McDonnell said: “Many of us will remain bewildered still why that appointment took place, despite the warnings that many of us gave.
“Isn’t the reality this: that when he sought to realise his ambition to become leader of the Labour Party, with very little base within the party, he became dependent on [former NO,10 chief of staff Morgan] McSweeney and Mandelson and Labour Together to organise, fund his election.
“When he became prime minister the reward for McSweeney was control of No.10, and for Mandelson the highest diplomatic office. The unspoken message to civil servants was what Mandelson wants, Mandelson gets.”
As Labour MPs headed for the exits, one senior party figure said: “Starmer is fighting for his political life and look how his benches have thinned out. It feels like its sinking fast.
“I suspect post may Labour MPs will start saying he has to set out a timetable to go.”
Labour whips were even forced to text MPs begging them to return to the chamber to back the PM.
The message, seen by HuffPost UK, said: “If any [parliamentary private secretaries] are able to head back to the chamber, benches are looking quite empty. Your assistance as always is greatly appreciated.”
Few, if any, heeded the call – leaving the prime minister both literally and politically increasingly alone.
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Keir Starmer was met with ridicule and disbelief from MPs while fielding their questions over why he ever decided to appoint Peter Mandelson to be an ambassador for the US.
It emerged last week that the ex-Labour peer failed security vetting without the prime minister’s knowledge, and was still given the top job in Washington days later.
Starmer sacked Olly Robbins, the top civil servant in the Foreign Office, granting Mandelson clearance without informing them.
Though Mandelson was sacked in September when the depth of his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was revealed, the saga continues to cast a shadow of Downing Street.
Questions swirl over the prime minister’s judgement and apparent lack of authority within his own government.
Here’s how the prime minister’s attempt to address the scrutiny head on went down with MPs…
1. Laughter During Starmer’s Opening Statement
The prime minister tried to preempt the frustration from MPs over Mandelson – and his vetting – by admitting that “many members across the House will find these facts to be incredible”.
Starmer was instantly interrupted with a wave of laughter from the opposition benches which seemed to even take the prime minister by surprise.
“To that, I can only say they are right,” the PM ploughed on, despite the noise. “It beggars belief that throughout the whole timeline of events, officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information from the most senior ministers in our system in government.”
2. Mother Of The House Asks The Most Basic Question
Diane Abbott tore into the PM for not doing the obvious: asking if Mandelson passed security vetting.
The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington pointed out that Mandelson had already been fired from government twice, both occasions long before he was considered for the ambassador role.
“It’s one thing to say, as he [Starmer] insists on saying, ‘Nobody told me, nobody told me anything, nobody told me’,” Abbott said.
“The question is, why didn’t the prime minister ask?”
The PM said he did ask the cabinet secretary to review the “process” around hiring Mandelson once the “further revelations” came to light.
Abbott, Starmer’s former shadow cabinet colleague turned vocal critic, lost the party whip last year and now sits as an independent.
As the longest-serving female MP in the Commons, she is known as the “Mother of the House” as a marker of respect.
3. Labour Backbencher Slams Starmer’s Ambitions
Another one of Starmer’s former shadow cabinet colleagues, John McDonnell, also scorched the prime minister – this time over his wider political career.
“Isn’t the reality this: when he sought to realise his ambition to become leader of the Labour Party, with very little base within the party, he became dependent on [Morgan] McSweeney and Mandelson, and Labour Together to organise and fund his election.”
The Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington claimed Mandelson was then rewarded with the “highest diplomatic office” as a result.
“The unspoken message to civil servants was: what Mandelson wants, Mandelson gets. This has damaged the party that I’ve been a member of for 50 years,” McDonnell said.
Starmer refuted McDonnell’s message about Whitehall, insisting it’s “simply not good enough” for any civil servants to withhold such information.
4. Comparisons To Boris Johnson’s Partygate
“It’s 2022 all over again,” Lib Dem leader Ed Davey told the Commons, referring to the fury Boris Johnson was faced with as prime minister after it emerged he had broken his own government’s social distancing rules during the Covid lockdowns.
Johnson was later accused of misleading the House – including by Starmer himself – and blaming Downing Street officials for the error.
Davey pointed out that, as leader of the opposition, Starmer promised to implement change if he were to get into office.
“I’m afraid the fact that he even had to make the statement today shows how badly he has failed,” Davey said, as he called on the PM to resign.
5. Labour Backbenchers Abandon The PM
Even as Starmer was fighting to keep his job, it seems Labour MPs were not minded to stay in support.
The benches behind the prime minister thinned out substantially during his time in the chamber.
A Labour source told HuffPost UK: “Starmer is fighting for his political life and look how his benches have thinned out. Feels like it’s sinking fast.
“I suspect post-May Labour MPs will start saying he has to set out a timetable to go.”
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Newcastle Green Party are on course to trounce Labour in their heartlands. The JL Partners poll for the Telegraph puts the Greens far out in front on 30%, with Labour and Reform neck and neck on 21% and 19%. The LibDems are on 7%.
Vote Green
The message is simple: vote Green if you don’t want to split the progressive vote. Labour aren’t progressive, of course. But some voters still think historical traces of Labour’s working-class soul linger on. Today’s neo-Labour oppose even the simplest progressive policies like bringing water into public ownership.
It’s quite sad, really. Labour has lost all trust. The lies defending Peter Mandelson’s association with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein are just the latest insult. If Starmer had kept to his ten pledges, we’d be living in a much better country.
Refuse Reform
The public are turning away from Reform, too. By recruiting a load of ex-Tory MPs, it’s quite obvious they are the exact opposite of anti-establishment. Add in their general air of chaos and inability to get anything done in the councils they control, and it’s hardly surprising the Greens are taking seats off them in flagship Reform councils like Kent.
Last week’s council by-election was triggered when ex-Reform councillor Daniel Taylor was jailed for 12 months after admitting controlling and coercive behaviour towards his wife. The prosecution said Taylor had told his wife he would hunt her like prey and kill her, and that he would “put you in the boot and set fire to the car“. So much for protecting women and children.
The Greens took the seat from Reform with a huge surge from 12% to 39% while Reform fell from 40% to 33%.
The only poll that matters is the election
I should point out that JL Partners poll uses MRP. This means they didn’t go and talk to people in Newcastle. They sliced and diced existing data sets in intricate ways based on demographics. For a statistically robust poll, you need to speak to about 1000 people. Given that there are 6,584 voters in Monument where I’m standing, that would require an answer from 15% of the electorate. It’s often said: the only poll that matters is the election.
Still, polls are not just idle curiosity. They are used to influence the outcome. People do switch to who they think can win. Or to stop someone they really dislike. But what is the choice for Newcastle’s voters?
Labour are failing Newcastle
Despite having a Labour government, Newcastle’s Labour council still plans to cut a further £62.8 million before 2028. This means more overflowing bins. More cafes closed in parks. More homeless people sleeping in doorways.
They made a huge mess of the parks. Their plan to take them out of council ownership and into a profit-making trust was hugely controversial. The outsourcing venture went bust, leaving council tax payers with a bill of around £6.7 million. Now Labour are closing the cafes in the parks. Grandparents wanting to take kids to play on the swings can’t get a cup of tea or go inside if it rains. They were warned this was a bad idea. I saw Labour politicians dismiss the concerns of community groups like Friends of the Parks.
Under Labour, Newcastle built 124 council homes in the ten years to March 2022, the latest figures I could find. Over the same period 1,819 social homes were sold and 1,257 were demolished. That’s a net loss of 2,952 social homes in ten years. In one city.
Greens commit to community wealth building
Newcastle Greens are committed to community wealth building. Until central government changes the destructive “right to buy at a huge discount” policy, we have to work around it. We should be taking empty but structurally sound buildings and turning them into good quality apartments. Then, we should be selling them to community asset trusts. These are collectively owned by the tenants, but in a legal framework that keeps rents fair and prevents sales to landlords. It builds a stock of social housing that’s protected from privatisation.
We should establish local finance institutions for business lending that recycle money in the local economy. Cambridge County Council did this in 2012. Now it’s owned by the council pension fund and one of the Cambridge colleges. In addition to boosting small businesses, it makes over £40 million a year for the pension fund. Imagine if we created assets like that to reinvest locally.
Arts institutions like Newcastle’s Live Theatre run fantastic courses so local kids can get a break in the arts. The Theatre owns nearby buildings that are run as pubs and restaurants. Those rents now serve as public good for the people of Newcastle rather than disappearing off into private equity funds in tax havens. It’s a model we should replicate.
If you want your city run in the interests of local people, we’ll need a majority Green council. Otherwise, you’ll get more of the same old same old. So yes, vote Green to stop Reform. Vote Green to stop Labour. But mostly, vote Green for a better city.
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