Enjoying Starmer's Full Confidence!

When the board of a football club express their “full confidence” in the manager of the club, that is the signal that he is for the sack! Politics is little different! Which brings me to the topic of Lord Peter Mandelson. As you will have seen, Mandelson appears to have a long and close relationship with renowned paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and he is now struggling for his political life. Can he survive?

Now before we consider Mandelson, let’s put this is context;

Starmer's government is grappling with a series of scandals. Just over a year into power, the administration has seen three key ministers step down amidst ethical lapses. The troubles began with Louise Haigh's resignation as transport secretary November last year, Haigh admitted to a 2014 fraud conviction for falsely reporting her work phone as stolen to the police, a detail she failed to disclose during her appointment process. This breach violated Labour's integrity pledges, forcing her exit and underscoring early cracks in the government's foundation. However Starmer had expressed his FULL CONFIDENCE in Haigh before she had to walk the plank!

Then in January of this year, Tulip Siddiq resigned as economic secretary to the Treasury following allegations tying her to a corruption probe in Bangladesh. The investigation involved her aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in a 2024 political upheaval. Siddiq stepped aside, citing distractions to government work, though no ministerial code breach was found. Guess what - Starmer expressed his FULL CONFIDENCE in Siddiq just before she resigned.

Most recently Angela Rayner quit as deputy prime minister and housing secretary. An ethics adviser ruled she underpaid capital gains tax on an £800,000 flat sale in Hove. Rayner's departure necessitated a cabinet reshuffle and dealt a severe setback to Starmer's inner circle. But just over a week ago, Starmer had expressed his FULL CONFIDENCE in Rayner

See the pattern?

Now let’s return to Peter Mandelson. Newly released documents from US investigations into Jeffrey Epstein reveal Mandelson's ties to the convicted sex trafficker. In a 2003 birthday message, Mandelson called Epstein his "best pal." Further records show continued associations post-Epstein's 2005 conviction, including a 2011 Paris meeting and business discussions. A 2002 memo urged then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to meet Epstein, which officials withheld to protect UK-US relations. Mandelson, who resigned twice from Blair's cabinet over financial improprieties in 1998 and 2001, has admitted regretting the friendship, predicting "very embarrassing" revelations.

Yesterday, during Prime Minister's Questions, Keir Starmer defended Mandelson, asserting FULL CONFIDENCE after rigorous vetting.

Oops. Mandelson will not endure!