Gransnet forums

News & politics

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

(934 Posts)
Primrose53 Thu 16-Apr-26 20:12:36

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2r15151xgo

Well, well, well.

Wyllow3 Fri 24-Apr-26 15:31:58

ronib

But I can think of other times in history when there was a blind following to The Leader with catastrophic consequences. Just saying….

Yes, Trump is having catastrophic consequences - glad we agree.

Casdon Fri 24-Apr-26 15:23:38

Do you have some evidence that Starmer has a blind following ronib, or is that not what you mean?

ronib Fri 24-Apr-26 15:21:51

But I can think of other times in history when there was a blind following to The Leader with catastrophic consequences. Just saying….

MayBee70 Fri 24-Apr-26 14:20:10

Oreo

He has to go, to give Labour a fighting chance at the next election.

That’s three years away. One of the failures of previous governments has been concentrating on winning elections not on sorting out current problems. Maybe Labour would be in a better place if supposed Labour Party voters would get behind them and support the party and it’s leader #justsaying

Basgetti Fri 24-Apr-26 12:57:40

Oreo

Emily Thornberry is very impressive on a committee.

Agree

Oreo Fri 24-Apr-26 12:08:01

He has to go, to give Labour a fighting chance at the next election.

Oreo Fri 24-Apr-26 12:07:22

ronib

Starmer is obviously irreplaceable?

To some maybe 😁

MayBee70 Fri 24-Apr-26 11:47:49

Ever since donkeygate people helped by the media have been trying to pin misdeeds on Starmer. And yet nothing seems to stick when it comes to Farage. Even the fact that he is leader of a party that wants this country to be like America is under Trump.

Elegran Fri 24-Apr-26 10:34:14

Rosie51

Elegran

Out of a possible 42, how many committee meetings on fishing in the EU did Farage attend as a member of the European Parliament?
A) 21
B) 31
C) 1
The answer is below.

Nigel Farage attended only one out of 42 meetings of the European Parliament's fisheries committee during his time as a member.

Is this the new bar we're setting for the competence and accountability of MPs? Maybe we could go lower if we really try......

It is an example of the bar that a surprising number of people are setting for the man they would vote for as a possible future PM.

nanna8 Fri 24-Apr-26 09:43:26

I don’t think Farage will ever be PM though it seems his party will do quite well at election time. There’s something NQR about him, not sure what but it is there.

ronib Fri 24-Apr-26 09:36:24

Starmer is obviously irreplaceable?

Maremia Fri 24-Apr-26 09:16:58

Thank goodness Starmer is PM, and not Farage. Thanks for the reminder.

Casdon Fri 24-Apr-26 07:51:03

You are allowed your perspective love0c, and so is everybody else. You perpetuated a discussion about Farage by making an inaccurate statement about Starmer’s attendance in parliament.

sixandahalf Fri 24-Apr-26 07:40:55

love0c

A message to quite a few on here - Starmer is PM, not Farage.

Possibly the point being that some of those running KS into the ground are self confessed supporters of NF.

Thanks for the message though. Memo received.

love0c Fri 24-Apr-26 07:13:00

A message to quite a few on here - Starmer is PM, not Farage.

Rosie51 Fri 24-Apr-26 00:55:53

Elegran

Out of a possible 42, how many committee meetings on fishing in the EU did Farage attend as a member of the European Parliament?
A) 21
B) 31
C) 1
The answer is below.

Nigel Farage attended only one out of 42 meetings of the European Parliament's fisheries committee during his time as a member.

Is this the new bar we're setting for the competence and accountability of MPs? Maybe we could go lower if we really try......

Allira Thu 23-Apr-26 23:31:03

Graphite

Official records show that Starmer has missed PMQs just six times. These are the reasons he was absent.

23/10/24 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting Samoa
20/11/24 G20 Leaders’s Summit Brazil
18/6/25 G7 Summit Canada
25/6/25 NATO Summit The Hague
5/11/25 United Nations Climate Change Brazil
28/1/26 Official Visit to China

Attending these events is entirely consistent with his predecessors.

The first four PMQs in the list were taken by Angela Rayner and the last two by David Lammy.

So swanning off hiding in another country, escaping then 🤔
Doing nothing of consequence!

love0c just representing the UK at all these important jollies meetings then.

Elegran Thu 23-Apr-26 21:54:51

And how often has he been available in Clacton for his constituents there?

Elegran Thu 23-Apr-26 21:53:13

Out of a possible 42, how many committee meetings on fishing in the EU did Farage attend as a member of the European Parliament?
A) 21
B) 31
C) 1
The answer is below.



Nigel Farage attended only one out of 42 meetings of the European Parliament's fisheries committee during his time as a member.

Graphite Thu 23-Apr-26 20:31:24

Official records show that Starmer has missed PMQs just six times. These are the reasons he was absent.

23/10/24 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting Samoa
20/11/24 G20 Leaders’s Summit Brazil
18/6/25 G7 Summit Canada
25/6/25 NATO Summit The Hague
5/11/25 United Nations Climate Change Brazil
28/1/26 Official Visit to China

Attending these events is entirely consistent with his predecessors.

The first four PMQs in the list were taken by Angela Rayner and the last two by David Lammy.

Casdon Thu 23-Apr-26 17:47:24

It is relevant that MPs are in the country when parliament is sitting love0c, because if they aren’t, unless they are on official business, they are not doing the job they are being paid for. Parliament only sits for 34 weeks a year, it’s not unreasonable to expect them all to be there for important debates and votes. Regardless of your opinion of Starmer, I don’t understand why you would dismiss that as unimportant.

Susieq62 Thu 23-Apr-26 17:46:01

Love0c
I think you have made this point before and it is clear that the PM has missed very few PMQ sessions so you need to rethink your statement surely ! As PM you have to represent the country especially during these turbulent times’! It is in the job description 🤷‍♀️

love0c Thu 23-Apr-26 17:18:59

It is irrelevant whether Farage is in the country or not. However, it is relevant whether Starmer is in the country! He is never hardly in it! Always off hiding in another country! This is what someone does when they are not up to the job and need to escape it! Hide!!1

Maremia Thu 23-Apr-26 16:20:57

Olly Robbins wasn't in post when the vetting occurred. Even if he had been, he would not have conducted the vetting.
However, he seems to have been in post when the crucial decision was made.
That could suggest that him not being in post earlier is irrelevant, but is often quoted.

Susieq62 Thu 23-Apr-26 16:05:44

Just to let you all know that the leader of Reform was in my humble village centre on Wednesday propping up the bar in one of our pubs! If I had been there I would have challenged him as to why he was visiting when he should have
A. Been in Parliament
Or
B. Looking after his own constituency

As I am on holiday I missed a golden opportunity ! 🤬