Swinney claims Starmer not tackling cost of living crisis because he's distracted by Mandelson scandalYeah, Starmer. Just lower the international price of gas and install a zillion more renewables now. You could do it if you weren't thinking about Mandelson (which was, until Wednesday afternoon, no longer a political issue).
Boiler wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2026 3:45 pm Well, I've got BBC Parliament on the lapdog now. Pity this machine is so damned quiet...One of the most useful birthday presents I was ever given was my Xboom wifi speaker to solve this very problem (NB I've had mine a few years and there are probably better/cheaper versions now available)
mattomac wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2026 2:59 pm Yeah I had to search a while to see what he was actually saying as the headline seemed a shocking admission of guilt.Yeah, earlier it said "Starmer might have been told, said Number 10". That looked uncannily like an admission that he did know. But meant that it was possible for him to have been told. Someone BTL pressed Andrew Sparrow on this headline, and he (who wouldn't have written it, and who I think is OK) couldn't see the issue. But it didn't exactly dispel the impression I have that the paper is trying to force him out.
When in fact it’s what they’ve been saying for days now.
kreuzberger wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2026 4:07 pmwoofBoiler wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2026 3:45 pm Well, I've got BBC Parliament on the lapdog now. Pity this machine is so damned quiet...You're right to express regret; you don't want to get a lapdog and bark yourself.
Mandelson given ambassador's job as reward for helping get Starmer elected MP, John McDonnell claimsThis is absolutely pathetic stuff. Using a political crisis (which seems unwarranted, from what we know so far) to settle silly scores. A government inquiry into Labour Together, FFS. McSweeney has resigned, Mandelson was sacked.
John McDonnell (Lab) said he welcomed Starmer’s apology. He went on to claim that, when Keir Starmer wanted to become Labour leader, he became dependent on Morgan McSweeney and Peter Mandelson to organise and fund his election. He went on:
When he became prime minister, the reward for McSweeney was control of No 10 and, for Mandelson, the highest diplomatic office.
And the message, that unspoken message to civil servants, was what Mandelson wants. Mandelson gets.
He said Starmer should clear this “toxic culture” out from Labour. And he called for an inquiry into Labour Together, the thinktank that was founded by McSweeney and subsequently criticised for smearing journalists writing critically about it.
Davey claims Starmer's statement today shows he has failed to offer change from Johnson eraYeah, Ed, just the same.
The prime minister knew that appointing Mandelson was an enormous risk, he decided it was a risk worth taking – a catastrophic error of judgment, and now that it’s blown up in his face, the only decent thing to do is to take responsibility.What's he saying Starmer should resign for exactly? Appointing Mandelson? Did he call for that before, or is he just jumping on this bandwagon now?
Back in 2022, the prime minister rightly accused Boris Johnson of expecting others to take the blame while he clung on. That was not acceptable then, and it’s not acceptable now …
After years of chaos under the Conservatives, we needed a government focused on the interests of the people – the cost of living crisis, the health and care crisis, our national security. We needed a government of honesty, integrity and accountability. So will the prime minister finally accept that the only way he can help to deliver that is to resign?
Ellie Chowns (Green) said Starmer should resign."Pandering to Donald Trump", why would you do that, it's a mystery?
What’s really staggering and unforgivable is that [Starmer] appointed Peter Mandelson … knowing about his friendship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. What’s unforgivable is that the prime minister was more concerned with pandering to Donald Trump than with standing with the victims and survivors …
Will he take personal responsibility for his staggering and unforgivable errors of judgment and resign?
