Starmer chose to ignore a direct warning about Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in official advice from the government’s head of Propriety and Ethics.
The PM has claimed ignorance of the deep relationship that Mandelson held with Epstein thanks to his being misled by the former ambassador. As co-conspirators may remember the claim that the leaked emails changed circumstances led to the tortured line:
Guido can reveal the contents of the advice presented to Starmer with regard to the matter. Darren Tierney, who was at the time of Mandelson’s appointment in 2024 the Director General of the Propriety and Constitution Group, completed a full briefing. It included the following section:
“After Mr Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008, their relationship continued through to 2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was Business Minister and continued after the end of the then Labour government. Lord Mandelson stayed in Epstein’s House while he was in jail in June 2009. You will wish to consider his suitability given this and the other information in this note.”
This report was referred to by Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald and FCDO Permanent Secretary Olly Robbins before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee last week. Wormald refused to specify its contents…
The Cabinet Office said it would not comment on the wording of the note. It was brought in physical form to the PM’s office by a junior official in the Propriety team. It was prepared by civil servants and signed by Tierney. New emails show Mandelson was in touch with Epstein until as late as 2016. At this point Starmer’s political judgement was so bad in appointing Mandelson it may as well not exist…
Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald has defended the conduct of civil servants in the appointment process of Peter Mandelson. Which was a direct ministerial appointment, the minister being one Keir Starmer…
Wormald was asked at the Foreign Affairs Committee to clarify that there is a section in the report presented on a possible appointment, which includes a section on news reporting. Including news reporting into Mandelson’s stay at Epstein’s flat as he was serving 18-month prison sentence…
Asked: “in this case the Prime Minister did receive a report that highlighted that relationship and it was up to him to make a decision based on the information…” Wormald said: “For a direct ministerial appointment that is the process.” Olly Robbins was at pains to stress that the PM wanted Mandelson and Foreign Office officials just went through the motions to action this…
In a classic example of Civil Service HR blockage, Robbins and Wormald justified not telling the PM anything about the Bloomberg story other than that there was a media inquiry about Mandelson which was being “clarified” and issues that “needed to be looked into” before he went into PMQs to provide his full confidence in the ambassador. Farcical…
Olly Robbins also said no one shared the full Bloomberg email contents with No10. He claimed he said it would be best dealt with as a “management issue.” Whose SpAds will have not got over that one…
Overnight the US said the UK would face 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium as Trump doubled his rate for other countries to 50%. This is being spun as a win…
To levy a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium is a renegement on the “landmark economic deal” between Starmer and Trump – as part of which bringing those tariffs down to zero was one of the few “wins” for the UK. Downing Street spelled it out itself at the time:
“The UK steel industry – which was on the brink of collapse just weeks ago – will no longer face tariffs thanks to today’s deal. The Prime Minister negotiated the 25% tariff down to zero, meaning UK steelmakers can carry on exporting to the US. “
Presumably the 25% tariff will collapse the UK steel industry. Another line of spin is that the UK will soon achieve the zero level after negotiations to implement that agreement are complete. Hilariously those talks are still ongoing despite the White House scenes with a smug Peter Mandelson being a full month ago…
The White House in fact specifically says it may raise the rate on the UK to 50%:
“the Secretary may adjust the applicable rates of duty and construct import quotas for steel and aluminum consistent with the terms of the Economic Prosperity Deal, or he may increase the applicable rates of duty to 50 percent if he determines that the United Kingdom has not complied with relevant aspects of the EPD.”
Bizsec Jonathan Reynolds spoke to US trade representative Jamieson Greer yesterday and the line is still that “the Government is engaging intensively with the US to implement the Economic Prosperity Deal that we agreed on 8 May at pace, including on steel and aluminium, and will update on progress in due course.” Starmer negotiating strategy – cheered on by credulous hacks – has continuously resulted in embarrassment. How’s ‘Trump-whisperer‘ Mandelson coping with this one…
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard was asked about ambassador Mandelson’s words to ABC yesterday in which he said Europe should give “unequivocal backing to the initiative President Trump is taking” and proposed a ceasefire initiated by Ukraine:
“Ukraine and the Europeans too – they need to back calls for a ceasefire and, by the way, I think that Ukraine should be the first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow and then as part of the unfolding plan for this negotiation the Europeans and perhaps some other countries too have got to consider how they are going to put forces on the ground to play their part in providing enduring security and deterrence for Ukraine – now that’s the reset that we are looking for that’s what the British PM is working for in London.“
Pollard slapped that down on Sky News: “No. It’s certainly right that the Ukrainians want peace I think of all the people on our continent that want peace the Ukrainians want it the most but we’re still in discussions and diplomatic engagement with our European, US, and Ukrainian friends as to the shape of that deal.” Mandy still has some way to go on the fine art of diplomatic language…
When it comes to the French-briefed proposal for a month-long energy, airborne, and naval ceasefire, Pollard dodged: “There are a number of options being discussed, none have been agreed to at this stage… but they all involve stepping up support for Ukraine.” Mandelson outriding to quite an extent here…
Mandelson was asked about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein by the FT‘s George Parker:
“I regret ever meeting him or being introduced to him by his partner Ghislaine Maxwell… I regret even more the hurt he caused to many young women… I’m not going to go into this. It’s an FT obsession and frankly you can all fuck off. OK?”
Politico had a big scoop yesterday – that President Trump would accept Lord Mandelson as the next UK Ambassador to the US. The claim was based on two anonymous briefings who said Mandelson has received agrément, a diplomatic approval meaning the deal is done…
A number of Trump team insiders expressed scepticism to Guido. One pointed out: “agrément is just a state department process thing… it means nothing about President Trump running with this, it’s up to him.” An intervention from the President to upend diplomatic norms would hardly be unprecedented, 47 does what he likes…
To be fair, the report did point out that “Mandelson will still need to hand a so-called “letter of credence” to Trump on arrival in Washington, to formalize his acceptance.” It’s not in the bag just yet for the dark Lord…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”