The Guardian reports that UK Security Vetting services actually denied Peter Mandelson clearance for Developed Vetting after the usual process. That decision was overruled. A nuclear bomb has just detonated inside Starmer’s main excuse for appointing and defending Mandelson…
This rejection came after a due diligence process by the Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics team and after Mandelson’s appointment was made public in December. Mandelson failed his security clearance process on 28 January last year. Within two days that was reversed by the FCDO led by David Lammy and permanent secretary Olly Robbins…
Developed Vetting denial is ultra-rare because it is a pretty standard clearance level for those dealing with classified information. As a reminder here are some of the times Starmer blamed the vetting process for the Mandelson appointment:
Starmer directly referenced the security vetting on 5 February this year: “There was… security vetting carried out independently by the security services, which is an intensive exercise that gave him clearance for the role, and you have to go through that before you take up the post.” Uh oh…
Officials are also reportedly considering whether to block this information from the Mandelson Files as mandated by the Humble Address – which would be a breach of its terms. Just as Starmer thought this was behind him…
Rayner is picking her local election campaign partners carefully. Only allies…
Housing minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has been sending out the invites to Labour members with the title: “Get the Vote Out with Anegla Rayner & Miatta Fahnbulleh.“ Yes, that is her typo – so much for friendship…
Fahnbulleh is former chief executive of the leftist New Economics Foundation and was “senior economic adviser” to Rayner prior to entering parliament in 2024. She has emailed Labour members inviting them to join her and Rayner in her constituency of Peckham on Monday:
“On Monday 20th April, I will be joined by Angela Rayner to Get the Vote Out . We will be meeting at [LOCATION] to flood the area with the values and spirit of the Labour Party.
If you want to see Southwark Council continue its outstanding work across Peckham, please come and join us. Don’t forget to tell your friends, family and colleagues so we can show Angela what Peckham is made of.”
Rayner has in the last few weeks been briefing that she will campaign in the locals to flex her political muscles and so on. The former Deputy PM appeared at a school visit this week with Starmer and Andy Burnham in what was seen as an olive branch. Starmer’s position has strengthened in the eyes of Labourites since the height of the Mandelson scandal…
Every month, we’ll publish the power rankings of all the leading lights in the party based on our readers’ responses. Click here to fill in the survey, and the results will be published at the end of the month. Here’s how last month played out…
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Business Secretary Peter Kyle has been heckled by a prominent backbench Labour MP after the government failed to provide any support for the dying British ceramics industry in the latest subsidy announcement. Gareth Snell – who has voiced concerns on behalf of ceramics for some time – asked Kyle: “How many job losses will it take? How many factory closures? How many brick kilns need to be mothballed before the government steps in to do something for the ceramics sector? Or is it the now the policy objective of this government to oversee the end of a domestic UK ceramics production?” Kyle went red as a tomato…
The “British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme” has overnight extended minor electricity bill subsidies to more firms. Leaving out ceramics almost entirely…
Ceramics have been some of the hardest-hit by energy costs at around £875 million a year on energy costs and up more than £330 million since 2020. According to one analysis ceramics firms spend roughly 70% of turnover on energy and a further 14% on taxes and levies…
The Business Secretary talked up his willingness to speak to businesses and “monthly meetings with officials.” At this point Snell heckled “We told you! We told you!” and after Kyle finished he yelled: “You’ve done nothing!” Guido hears Kyle’s Parliamentary Private Secretary had to be sent over to calm him down. Later a second Labour backbencher Adam Jogee joined in to attack Kyle for ceramics’ lack of subsidy. Trouble in paradise…
Number 10’s spokesman today, asked if Starmer supports Wes Streeting’s call to slash welfare spending to fund defence:
“The best way to get the welfare bill down in the long term is to support more people into work and I’ve set out a number of ways in which we’re doing that… we are committed to reforming the welfare system… we make no apologies for lifting children out of poverty, but in terms of the overall welfare system we are committed to making it fairer for the taxpayer.”
Asked what ‘fairer’ for the taxpayer actually means, the spokesman said:
“It means reforming the system and supporting more people into work… it’s not a zero sum game when it comes to defence and welfare.”
Back in your box, Wes. 63,000 more people signed up to universal credit in a single month, according to the latest figures. Is anyone in Number 10 concerned about this? Or is placating useless backbenchers more important?
Starmer struggled through his opening remarks on child safety at a Downing Street meeting of social media executives this morning. What was it like when the cameras stopped rolling…
This is what Starmer had to say:
“But things can’t go on like this. They must change. Because right now social media is putting our children at risk. And in a world in which children are protected, even if that means access is restricted, that is preferable to a world where harm is the price of participation. So in everything we do, we need to put children first. Their safety and their protection are paramount. And I’m determined we’ll build a better future for our children. And I look forward to working with you on this. I do think this can be done. I think the question now is not whether it’s done.”
Representatives from Meta, Snapchat, Google (YouTube), TikTok, and X were summoned to the meeting for Starmer to rant at them. An embargoed release from No10 confirmed that the meeting had no substantive purpose apart from for Starmer to tick off the companies…
“During today’s meeting, the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary will set out the government’s principles and values when it comes to protecting children, and press for answers from companies on what they are doing to keep children safe online and responding to families’ concerns.”
They look thrilled to be there…
Red Wall Labour backbencher Jonathan Brash told GB News that Starmer should resign:
“I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.”