Co-conspirators will have noticed Starmer and his ministers beginning to direct blame onto the officials responsible for vetting Mandelson. Shameless…
This is a deliberate strategy. Guido hears after this week’s crisis meetings senior Downing Street are attempting to target FCDO permanent secretary Olly Robbins for signing off on Mandelson’s appointment despite there being doubtful material in the vetting. The argument will be that it was a decision for him and not the PM. Which is complete b*******…
Guido hears Downing Street’s strategic masterminds are also looking for a way to put blame on the then head of the Propriety and Ethics team Darren Tierney. This is more difficult – a government source says “the diligence note made clear what was known at the time and it was Keir’s judgement…” Whether this wheeze will be swallowed by furious Labour MPs into the weekend is unclear…
Those familiar with Mandelson’s appointment process will remember that Morgan McSweeney went out of his way to push it through the blob – putting hours into meetings with the PET team and FCDO to get his mentor through the door. The people Morgan tried to sideline are now to be blamed…
There was a time not long ago when Starmer boasted about ‘carrying the can’ in any organisation that he leads. He said of his time with his staff as DPP: “When they made mistakes, I carried the can. I never turn on my staff and you should never turn on your staff… I will carry the can for mistakes of any organisation I lead.” Can anyone remember if his nose grew to the size of the Golden Gate Bridge when he said that…
Speaking at his press conference on the Pride in Place programme which was obviously all about Mandelson, Starmer said:
“Tomorrow’s front pages are unlikely to be about the Pride in Place programme.”