While ministers are out defending Mandelson’s time as ambassador Jon Sopel has been pontificating with Emily Maitlis about how terrible the Mandelson scandal is. Not what he was saying before…
Back in December when Mandelson was appointed Sopel wrote in the Independent that he was “probably perfect for the job” and appointing him was a “very smart move.” Sopel’s praise is almost as damaging for someone’s longevity as a statement of full confidence from Starmer…
He went on about how great Mandy is: “Mandelson is clever, feline and tough – and when he wants to be, seductively charming. He already has a great contacts book and will have the ear of the prime minister.“ The contacts book…
Sopel said: “Yes he has his faults, but he’s bloody good and a class act.” Maybe the News Agents needs an extra host…
Shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns told Times Radio she would have put a precondition on a China trip if she were PM:
“I would have put a precondition that I was not going to go if I was prime minister, unless Jimmy Lai was coming home with me. I would also put a precondition in the six months leading up to the visit that I wanted a reduction in hostile acts against our country. But that’s not what we saw. And actually, in contrast, what we saw was clearly the Chinese Communist Party did put a precondition, which was that the new embassy in London had to be signed off. So why is it okay for China to set preconditions and to make very clear red lines about what they require for a visit, but we go without having put any ourselves?”