Peter Mandelson tells Christopher Hope on GB News:
“Oh I want GB News to keep going! They’re stirring the pot, they’re creating divisions within the Conservative Party, they’re undoing the Conservative Party, and very very timely it is too!”
On the day that the damning JP Morgan Report has dropped, a spokesperson for Keir Starmer has said that Peter Mandelson still advises the Labour leader and that he has “no reason to believe he isn’t” a fit and proper person, despite reports about his close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Clearly the spokesperson has taken spin lessons from Mandelson himself…
With all the focus Sky News / Tortoise is putting on their collating of MPs declarations it is easy to forget the other half of the legislature – the Lords – is often the scene of even murkier activity. Going by his register of interests, you might think 2022 had been a quiet year for Peter Mandelson – the Prince of Darkness registered no speaking events, nor foreign trips. Yet one co-conspirator has been quick to point out that this picture isn’t quite complete. In March 2022 Mandelson took a leaf from the New Labour relic’s playbook and schmoozed an authoritarian regime. He spoke at the Doha summit in Qatar, alongside David Beckham, which must have been convenient considering his consultancy has recently opened an office there. Just don’t tell Sir Keir.
Mandy then took a much-needed break from the stresses of Westminster politics for a visit to the Milken Summit in Singapore. That’s the same Milken indicted on 98 counts of racketeering and fraud and then pardoned by President Trump. Of course, these could well be above board – assuming they were paid by Mandy himself or his consultancy – it’s just not exactly transparent. It doesn’t take a master of the dark arts to work out why Mandy might want to keep the trips on the down-low…
Mandelson speaking on the Newscast podcast:
“We’ve now got Rishi Sunak, and what I felt looking at him yesterday is he’s a man with good intentions, strong motivation, would like to do best for the country but I’m afraid he’s come at the wrong time. Rishi Sunak is essentially the tail-end Charlie of British politics.”
Mandelson responds: “Unlike me, she’s not going to be winning Hartlepool at the next election – or even Hertsmere”
Speaking at a fringe event for the Telegraph, Jacob Rees-Mogg has had some choice words for Michael Gove. Speculation has been growing that the former Levelling Up Secretary, not known for his loyalty, has been on manoeuvres with public budget interventions and a packed fringe schedule of nine events. Mogg stayed true to his courteous nature, showering Gove with compliments, though couldn’t resist a jibe that his schedule of just nine fringe events was “a bit wet really”.
He then went on to add that Michael was:
“One of the cleverest men in politics, a very amiable figure who loves the art of politics. He’s the sort of Tory party’s version of Peter Mandelson, and I’ve always thought Peter Mandelson a good and intriguing part of public life”
Although Jacob’s words were kind, Guido isn’t quite sure Gove would be thrilled at the comparison to New Labour’s own Prince of Darkness…
Other highlights of Mogg’s chat with Chris Hope include an endorsement of grammar schools, Mogg revising his position on the constitutional need for personal electoral mandates and a persuasive defence of Boris Johnson’s competence. It was also good to see Jacob’s adherence to his own stylistic traditions…
