The current Labour government, those ‘adults…back in the room,’ are now the UK’s unofficial Party of Sleaze. In the wake of lurid revelations about the Mandelson-Epstein love-in – not least that Mandy allegedly passed secret, prejudicial information to the late disgraced financier and may have been guilty of misconduct in office – Labour is under constant attack, even from within.

As the Prime Minister attempts to blame the security services for Mandelson’s appointment, it’s worth remembering the way he himself spoke about such matters

Dame Emily Thornberry mutters about ‘the weaknesses in our vetting process and in our due diligence process.’ Kemi Badenoch lambasts the PM for ‘his catastrophic judgement [which] has harmed the special relationship, endangered national security, and embarrassed our nation.’ Even Harriet Harman has criticised Starmer for looking ‘weak, naïve and vulnerable.’

As the Prime Minister attempts to blame the security services for Mandelson’s appointment, it’s worth remembering the way he himself spoke about such matters, before he got into power.

A typical homily from Starmer came after the initial findings of the Sue Gray report, in January 2022. The report, on parties at Number 10 under lockdown, mentioned a ‘serious failure to observe’ standards for government, and spoke of lapses ‘of leadership and judgement’ by then-PM Boris Johnson and others. As Boris, following his apology to the nation, stared ruefully down at his shoes, the Labour leader gave us a masterclass in purse-lipped, Pecksniffian dismay.

Having........

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