OT This rotten Govt.Yet more scandal.

[howdydoo]

In my experience the far left are equally highly critical of Starmer, just for quite different reasons. Extremists are as extremists will, on both sides.

From what I can see, Starmer and the foreign secretary weren't told of the failed vetting. Should they subsequently be proven to have known, they will no doubt have to walk considering their continued denials. And rightly so.

It does make you think that whether both, especially the FS should have at least asked(considering Honest Pete's past) to see evidence of a successful vetting before Mandeleson being let loose on Trump, I think that's a fair question/criticism.

The bloke's up there with Boris when it comes to lying.

It needs to stop.



Clearance Granted: During a press conference in February 2026, Starmer explicitly claimed that the intensive vetting exercise had given Mandelson "clearance for the role".

[Beaufighter]

The govt. had 14 years to plan what they were going to do but we are all suffering because they really don't have a clue.

I?m not even disagreeing with you. But pretending the Tories aren?t AT LEAST as bad. Now that?s what I have issues with.

[Stovicmiller]

So based on what the public know:
The PM wasn't aware he'd failed vetting.
The senior person who was has been sacked.
Opposing political parties want to disrupt the governing party.
Lies and agendas will be speculated about depending on individual leanings.

In terms of the reality, what have I missed?

What I've seen so far is a PM who's come to power, started to restore some semblance of normality in contrast to the chaos of 2019-24; has failed to become the transformative leader we were sold, but has presented a more technocratic holding pattern; has begun to restore economic credibility (which has come with a cost to many of us, but gets away from farcical schemes which aided the wealth divide); has resolved a lot of industrial disputes; has made it clear we're not a puppet for Trump; is struggling to sort 'cost of living'; has had to deal with typical Labour party divides and subsequent policy u-turns; has not been a poster boy in the world of personality politics. The man has not failed, is ticking more boxes than he's missing, and is a problem for the opposition (and those who claim to be 'the opposition'), so stories like this will be blown up by - we can play games, but let's be honest about it - media which is largely funded by those with right wing leanings.

Anything else?

. Well said Prime Minister.

[Stovicmiller]

Or are you his spin doctor.

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

Big failure from Starmer
He has not shut the borders like other countries.
Immigrants coming in getting the benefits of social money, getting accomadation, no bills, free travel, straight onto pip some of them, getting a car on the mobility scheme.
Sons partner worked for Rotherham Council, told us of free phones, with ?10 a week put on them well before covid.
My mates wife in charge of immigrants, using RAF Finningley after RAF moved out of their housing, taking them to Dunhelm, Curry's etc for goods.
So not just Labour are the culprits.
Our NHS & Schools now over worked, some immigrants bringing diseases into our country.
But Starmer has shown he is not totally up to the job of running our country.
Our government needs to stop the invasion of immigrants,

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

One big question
Where do the immigrants get the money to pay the boat people to fetch them into our country.

[UlleyMiller]

How many manifesto promises has he broken ?
Would he have been sacked for eating cake at a gathering he shouldn’t have been at?
Has he acted with integrity ?

I think we know the answers. I respect your answers Ulley on most things but in terms of Starmer he’s indefensible.
Unfortunately he’s no different to others.

6 out of 92 have been 'broken'. 20 completed, 18 on track, 23 in progress, 6 off track, and the 6 he (they) has/have failed to keep.

I've said repeatedly, I have no desire to defend anyone nor any hard commitments to his party. I vote or spoil as I see the landscape at the time of an election, and try to take an all-sides-considered view when scandals and news events occur. I don't see a man who is lacking in ability or conviction to a point where it's worrying, and the general view from most world leaders appears to back that. The economy has not tanked since they took office, and nothing has spiraled out of control. The party will, if they stay in office too long, inevitably succumb to the same temptations as all long term governments do, but generally, right now, they're not concerning me.

Plan B is another senior Labour figure who the media would seek to derail the moment they walk in. Plan C is an election which likely leads to a minority government under one of three parties, the other two of which are either lacking the time needed to rebuild or lacking an actual party at all. Of the options we have, and given that Starmer isn't the corrupt, flailing, deviant that GBNews and other assorted BS merchants would have us believe, I'll take the pain of what comes next with the current lot. My taxes are too high, some of the issues which affected us in 2024 are still around, but on balance I see no better situation than what we have based on any of what we 'could' have.

[Stovicmiller]

While I do agree with your assessment of this government the previous government were equally as bad if not worse . 14 years in power with I think the last term an 80 seat majority and what did they do with that majority, nothing, they are to blame for this country having a labour government. Like someone as said all or most politicians **** in the same bucket. Not having a pop at you tho .

[Stovicmiller]

My reply was to millerbill .

[KerrAvon]

Starmer says that he was not aware that Mandelson had 'failed' his security clearance and I have seen no clear evidence to demonstrate that he was. Government is a big thing and it is unreasonable to expect every decision to be made by one person or for every piece of paper to cross that person's desk. It is reasonable for him to expect other people to do their jobs properly. By analogy, the CEO of a company cannot be expected to have intimate knowledge of the circumstances of every decision made within it.

For me, the real issue for Starmer is touched upon in howdy's post, which is that he said that Mandelson had been security cleared after the Epstein stuff had kicked off. Even if he had been not been told about the 'failure' before then, he should have made absolutely sure that statement was correct before he made it. If he didn't then that shows a very disturbing lack of political nouse, if nothing else.

Maybe his failure is that he is not a career politician.

NB. It is because my understanding of DV clearance is that it does not deliver a 'pass' or 'fail'. It simply gives a warts and all picture of the subject and that the potential employer then decides whether to give them clearance. If that is correct then it might be technically correct to say that Mandelson passed if the Foreign Office decided that they could live with his warts.

[KerrAvon]

I have tried very hard not to engage in mental whataboutery when considering this subject because I am not interested in whether any politician is worse or better than any other – I am interested in the integrity of the current PM.

That being said, I just can’t help making the observation that it is a bit ironic for ‘the right’ to get all hot and bothered about Starmer when so many of their heroes – Johnson, Farage and Trump spring to mind – think that truth is simply something for them to ignore or bend for their own ends.

[Spuddy Speight]

It won't be long before all Sir Keir Starmer's rubber ducks will be sunk.
They'll start sinking one by one from next Monday 20th April 2026. Mind you the weekend press pack will be all over this Mandelson Scandal.
More revelations to come?

[Stansmate]

How can anyone not see what a bloody mess Labour have made of peoples lives.

Sunak was 100% right during the pre election debates about Starmers untruths !!

In any industry he?d be out the door sharpish

Hope he and ALL his pathetic sheeplike followers are gone 2 morra !!

[KerrAvon]

In what way has he made a bloody mess of people's lives?

[Pocket rocket]

Shock horror in the responses. Gullible idiots.