Like a mischievous child who paints all the walls of the house with a black marker, Keir Starmer has told his parents (in this case the House of Commons) that he did it unintentionally and does not deserve punishment. When he informed Parliament that due procedure had been followed and all necessary security measures had been taken in relation to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, he actually did not know that the security services had flagged him.
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When Boris Johnson tried to convince the country that the illegal parties in Downing Street during the pandemic had been held without his knowledge (despite the fact that he lived there and even participated in some), Starmer said that this stretched the limits of credulity and the conservative leader was taking Britons for fools. Now the tables have turned, and it is Tory leader Kemi Badenoch who calls the prime minister’s defense incredible and demands his resignation either for being a liar or for being incompetent.
The sequence of events is more or less as follows. Starmer decided to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to Washington despite being warned that he posed a risk due to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his proximity to the governments of Moscow and Beijing. A first superficial assessment revealed the problems this entailed, but they were ignored.
The Conservative opposition explains that it was explained late and calls for his resignation
A second, more in-depth examination by the security services, once he had taken office, resulted in a recommendation against the appointment. Foreign Office officials, knowing that backing down would be a monumental scandal, did not pass the report to Downing Street or any minister. No one thought to ask at any point what the outcome of the process had been. Starmer declared to the Commons that the proper procedure had been followed and everything “was in order.” Only now does he say he learned “from the press” that this was not the case.
Voluntarily lying to Parliament carries resignation as punishment, but inadvertently misinforming the Commons only requires setting things right at the earliest opportunity. Starmer learned of his error on Thursday night from an investigation by The Guardian newspaper, but has waited until today, Monday, to admit he was wrong. The opposition believes he has done so too late and should resign.
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The great asset in Starmer’s favor is that none of his rivals for the leadership within Labour are currently in a position to strike, for which he would need the support of 81 members of the parliamentary group. The mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, lacks a seat in the Commons, an essential requirement. Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is awaiting the outcome of a tax investigation into unpaid taxes. The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has not
distinguished himself trying to fix public healthcare. And the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, already lost an election.
The Prime Minister’s intention is to hold out until the municipal and regional elections on May 7, light a candle to the Virgin Mary, and wait to see what happens.
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