Starmer’s hand-picked National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell is no stranger to controversy. Feted by the establishment as some kind of diplomat extraordinaire, in reality Powell is becoming a major liability…
Now multiple MPs – including Labour parliamentarians – have told Guido they are extremely keen to question Powell in Parliament over his activities in a public session. Guido chronicled his odd former side-gig as the founder of shady consultancy ‘Inter Mediate’ – which as this website disclosed – has been deeply active in Syria. A story picked up in the dead tree press…
His links to China and particularly to the ‘think tank’ the Grandview Institution were also exposed. Looking at Powell’s record makes for a bad view not a grand view…
The lobby reported Powell was meant to appear before the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy this coming Monday. But there’s no confirmed hearing date published, and it now looks like there’s nothing in the diary for the coming weeks…
According to MPs there is an even greater than normal case for Powell’s accountability to Parliament – he has been written up as the real decision maker behind all UK Government foreign policy as Starmer has ‘delegated’ it to him. His position as a Political SpAd (Special Adviser) makes it even more urgent to question…
Guido has seen a selection from a list of draft questions (below) for Powell circulating among MPs and security sources. The question is whether he will ever be asked them…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”