Yesterday the PM was unable to put the fires out. Deadly Opposition from the Conservatives confronted Starmer with a motion he needed to vote down, demanding full publication of all the documents around Mandleson, his appointment and his tenure as Ambassador.
The PM realised his huge majority was not with him and he could not perform the usual routine business of voting down an Opposition motion. He decided to compromise by offering to publish much, but keeping under his officials the right to withold important documents they deemed to be important to national security and or international relations.
His rebellious party would not accept that. Livid with how their top people had landed them in a huge crisis, many demanded full disclosure. The Conservatives proposed letting the senior, confidential Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee read the relevant papers and decide which if any should not be published. By the time Angela Rayner agreed with this the PM had no option. The hapless Minister defending him in the Chamber tried the line it was too late to amend the motion, but the Speaker made clear he would take a late manuscript change to accommodate the obvious mood of the House.
This feels like a seismic explosion, a large fire engulfing this Administration. By appointing Mandleson the PM came to part own the Blair government, the great banking crash of 2008-9 and worse still for him the worrying emails,payments and deals surrounding Mandleson.
The police enquiry may take time and may dampen some speculation. The governing party looks gutted by what has happened and is in no mood to cover up or support. There will be plenty of stories about what did go on in the dying days of the Brown government and in the Oval Office under Starmer. It is deeply embarrassing for our country, and it has upset the crucial relationship with the US President. The last thing Donald Trump wanted was more discussion of Epstein.
February 5, 2026
There are people in this country who don’t care about what Donald Trump wants. They don’t believe we have any crucial relationship either – nor do we want one.
February 5, 2026
They’ll kick this into the long grass, and ensure that “matters of national security and or international relations” keep disclosure to a minimum. We’ve had massive, actual, child abuse covered up by the refusal to get to the truth of the rape gangs; do we really think they won’t hide anything to do with Mandelson?
The bigger picture is the widespread corruption (financial and moral) surrounding Epstein and his probable blackmail operation. This goes way further than Mandelson and Andrew Windsor. The pathetic press stories claiming Epstein was a Russian asset indicate a massive cover up is already underway.
As for Trump’s embarrassment, the more the better. Help Thomas Massie and all those who refused to let the Epstein story die. The murky power brokers of the establishment and political class are downright evil. We need a “great reset”, of them, not us.
February 5, 2026
Seems strange that the police have not yet made arrests or even impounded computers, phones, bank statements, tax returns… They moved rather more quickly against Lucy Connolly for her silly, heat of the moment Tweet which was withdrawn within two hours and was a first offence, in an emotional moment that perhaps should have received no more than a warning and not 31 months (upheld by the appeal court three appeal court judges as “Not manifestly unduly excessive”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg thinks Ed Miliband will replace Starmer and that his is an honest man who avoided Mandelson when leader. Well if Miliband is honest and really believes in his suicidally insane net zero rip off energy lunacy he is totally deluded and must surely be either very stupid indeed or besotted with this mad religion.
February 5, 2026
Police have subsequently stated that details should be held back that might undermine a criminal trial. I cannot help wondering if they were prompted to say this as a way to allow Starmer’s original plan.
February 5, 2026
Trump will never trust Starmer’s Britain again and he is right not to.
February 5, 2026
Correct.
February 5, 2026
I note the Chagos deal is now said to be acceptable to Donald Trump. It would be interesting to see what occurred to change Trump’s mind.
February 5, 2026
In any normal times this would bring down the government but with the large majority they will tough it out.
It appears that a lot of the deep state establishment are involved and I bet there are some twitchy bums.
It would appear that parliament is infested with deviants at every level and are rich pickings for blackmailed.
Starmer is a disgrace not only for his appointment of Mandels(on ed) as ambassador but his Chagos surrender and persecution of our military.
We can’t afford 3 more years of this treacherous behaviour and a General Election should be called soon
If we had a monarch worth it’s name he would dissolve parliament immediately.
Reply The King cannot dissolve Parliament when it has a legal elected government with a majority
February 5, 2026
Allister Heath today is surely right:-
“These are the humiliating death throes of Starmer’s sordid regime
The grotesque Mandelson scandal is an epoch-defining indictment of the Labour establishment”
Streeting or Rayner seem to be favourites in the betting odd both 4:1. After all Rayner needs more money to belatedly settle her tax bill. If they get in they make sure Ed Miliband (PPE Oxon) has nothing whatever to do with energy policy, transport policy, housing policy, industry… Streeting seems unlikely as labour leader as he is almost sensible – this despite his PPE degree.
February 5, 2026
The actions of a number of prominent individuals in the current Government appear to be treacherous and against the interests of the UK, not least the Prime Minister.
I watched PMQs and most of the Parliamentary debate yesterday. Two-Tier seems to be basing his “defence” on claims that Mandelson lied – so we’re supposed to believe that MI5 didn’t have a pretty good idea of the extent of his relationship with Epstein and our “oh so forensic” lawyer PM took his assurances on trust! Pull the other one.
The sight of MPs from both sides of the political divide expressing their “shock” at Mandelson’s behaviour and parading their virtue was nauseating. It’s been known for decades that ( his conduct was questionable ed) What surprised them? Did they seriously believe that ( such a man ed) man would have suddenly become a paragon of virtue.
It is even more obvious that a majority of those in the Houses of Parliaments (both Houses) are either incredibly naive, morally corrupt or are not working in the interests of the British people. I’m reminded of the Robbie Burns’ poem “Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation.”
“What force or guile could not subdue,
Thro’ many warlike ages,
Is wrought now by a coward few
For hireling traitor’s wages”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/robertburns/works/such_a_parcel_of_rogues_in_a_nation/
February 5, 2026
Andrew Marr “I have always liked Kier Starmer, an honourable and decent man and in politics for the right reasons – but we have entered the final stage of his premiership”.
I have never liked Andrew Marr, self described as a raving lefty while at Cambridge (English) this as he always gets almost everything wrong. Rather like all the the others at the BBC, net zero, the EU, Trump, big government, regulation, tax levels… Let us hope he is not wrong on this “final stage” prediction not that the new leader is likely to be much better! Less dishonest and less wooden though perhaps!