Mandelson failed security vetting. Starmer says he didn’t know

AGAA4

I have looked at the front pages of most of today's newspapers. Three have 'lies' in their headlines when nothing has yet been proved. One calls for Starmer to resign again no proof yet.
Who reads this biased rubbish?

Exactly! Kemi Badenoch was on Channel 4 repeating the story. I watched her interview a few times. Her "evidence" is a combination of some facts and hearsay, which is surprising for somebody with a law degree who should know better.

Mollygo

Luckygirl3

He is the least popular PM ever.
Are you sure?!

He’s certainly been unpopular since he started in office. Many others have been unpopular as there term in office progressed or after they have left office.

twaddle
Many sections of the media would have you believe that he is, so the mantra is repeated.

Many sections of the media including GN have glossed over issues that have arisen, lauding KS his actions and his ministers’ actions whilst avoiding the errors.

And re the praise and gloss over the mantra is repeated too.

I'm not disputing that Starmer is unpopular ie more people give him a negative rating than a positive one. However, to claim he is the most unpopular Prime Minister ever is unproven and a step too far. And, yes, I've seen it written umpteen times in MSM and social media sources, but I've never seen any proper research to back it up.

I agree with you, Mollygo, that there's also unwarranted praise and gloss, but we're not discussing the media in general (although it would make an interesting thread).

That’s a really odd comment to make regarding Gransnet Mollygo, given it’s a public site and people can say what they want to as long as they don’t break the rules?

their term in office

Luckygirl3

*He is the least popular PM ever.*
Are you sure?!

He’s certainly been unpopular since he started in office. Many others have been unpopular as there term in office progressed or after they have left office.

twaddle
Many sections of the media would have you believe that he is, so the mantra is repeated.

Many sections of the media including GN have glossed over issues that have arisen, lauding KS his actions and his ministers’ actions whilst avoiding the errors.

And re the praise and gloss over the mantra is repeated too.

I have looked at the front pages of most of today's newspapers. Three have 'lies' in their headlines when nothing has yet been proved. One calls for Starmer to resign again no proof yet.
Who reads this biased rubbish?

I think you know the answers to all those questions.

But, who owns the MSM?
Are they normally Labour supporting?
Do they jump at every opportunity to do Labour down?
If so, then of course they will push this narrative.

Luckygirl3

*He is the least popular PM ever.*
Are you sure?!

Many sections of the media would have you believe that he is, so the mantra is repeated.

He is the least popular PM ever.
Are you sure?!

It was really 'partygate' that finished Johnson, whatever happened in the end with Chris Pincher, and I think when Starmer goes it will be traced back to the appointment of Mandelsson ( not even the vetting, the actual decision to appoint)

I think you might be right, what a mess.

It's not a narrative it's an opinion. Or should I say look at the 'oh but Iran we must stick with him' narrative. If the system is such that Robbins followed the system then yes that is problematic. Robbins by many accounts is not well liked and I find it vaguely interesting that even those who don't like him are raising concerns. I think it won't end well in a number of ways, I think Mandelsson will be the downfall of Starmer,whether next week or at a later date. It was really 'partygate' that finished Johnson, whatever happened in the end with Chris Pincher, and I think when Starmer goes it will be traced back to the appointment of Mandelsson ( not even the vetting, the actual decision to appoint).

Probably the FO do a good job normally but this one was of supreme importance, such an important post and such a poor choice by the PM.

The bigger flaw IMO is why does the system allow the FO to exercise discretion in accepting the vetter’s decision?

If that’s going to happen, why bother having a DV process in the first place?

Seems to be a couple of fatal flaws in the system, one is why did KS insist on choosing Mandelson in the first place when the world and his wife knew he was dodgy and announce he would be the new Ambassador to the US before any vetting had taken place.
Secondly, if as keeps being stated, Robbins wasn’t allowed to tell anyone at all about the security vetting then why was he immediately sacked this week?

Galaxy

But Mandelsson failing is the least surprising thing as well, on a number of fronts to be honest. I agree that it is very possible Robbins has been treated badly and if so that won't end well.

So, in your opinion, Robbins was right to ‘ignore’ security recommendation to fail Maddleson … even though as you say, his ‘failure’ was unsurprising?🤔

How quickly the narrative has shifted - from ‘Starmer’s a liar’ to ‘Starmer’s treated Robbins badly’.

In what way do you think it ‘won’t end well’ Galaxy?

This is a distraction from the the more serious issues at present. What is happening in the middle east and how it is affecting our country adversely is being overshadowed by the Mandelson problem.
Hopefully it will be sorted very soon and the PM can get on with steering us through the rough times created by Trump.

Well, it will be a sorry day if Mandelson is the downfall of Starmer, especially in these uncertain times.

But Mandelsson failing is the least surprising thing as well, on a number of fronts to be honest. I agree that it is very possible Robbins has been treated badly and if so that won't end well.

Just read that Johnson failed his security check when he was appointed Foreign secretary #nosurprisetherethen

Primrose, one problem is that there is nothing better waiting in the wings, either in the LP or any other party.

AGAA4

Be careful what you wish for Primrose you may get Angela Raynor as PM and I know you love her.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Be careful what you wish for Primrose you may get Angela Raynor as PM and I know you love her.

sixandahalf

*There is a lot of excellent reporting on the DM site regarding KS. Andrew Neil who is a great journalist and very sharp indeed has written a piece as has Kemi Badendoch who is, again, asking for his resignation*

Well she will won't she?

Of course but so are a lot of others! The Green Party, the Lib Dems and some within the Labour Party and just about everybody I speak to. He is the least popular PM ever.

We will never be told what UKSV’s concerns were nor should we as that’s confidential information.

At best we may discover whether Robbins considered those concerns insufficient to not give clearance, or whether they were but he felt under pressure to give the clearance because this was a political appointment. Even if that was the case, there would a difference between thinking he had to give clearance and being told he had to.

Seems to me that soon after his [Robbin’s] appointment, he made a judgement call that would probably have been fine but for the further release of the Epstein files revealing Mandelson’s continued association with the felon and that he passed confidential government information to him over 2009/2010. That’s why Mandelson was sacked.

If there is no correlation between what UKSV flagged and what was revealed in the Epstein files it would seem that Robbins has been harshly treated for just doing his job.