If you thought the Lord Mandelson scandal was Keir Starmer’s fault – considering he appointed the disgraced peer as US ambassador in the full knowledge of his intimate relationship with a convicted paedo – you haven’t read your FT this morning. A hilarious long read blames everyone but Starmer himself…
The pink’un reports:
“The idea was that someone with a hotline to Number 10 — a seasoned politician like Mandelson — should go to Washington, rather than the previous Conservative government’s choice of Sir Tim Barrow, a career diplomat. The idea of Mandelson as ambassador was first promoted by Mandelson himself, as the former New Labour grandee sought one final high-profile public role.”
Uh huh…
It includes laughable source quotes such as: “it’s ironic really, because Keir didn’t even like Mandelson“. That must be why he ignored the advice of the entire government machine, showered Mandelson in praise in public, and appointed him anyway….
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.”