Mandelson has been sacked as ambassador to US, MPs informed
Stephen Doughty, a Overseas Workplace minister, is responding to the UQ about Peter Mandelson.
He begins by making the purpose that it’s the anniversary of the “despicable” 9/11 terrorism assaults.
And he condemns the “appalling” killing of Charlie Kirk within the US.
Addressing the UQ, he says the PM has has the foriegn secretary to withdraw Mandelson as ambassador to the US.
Share
Key occasions
Present key occasions solely
Please activate JavaScript to make use of this characteristic
SNP requires Mandelson to be sacked ‘with out additional delay’
The SNP can also be calling for Peter Mandelson to be sacked. In a press release, Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s chief at Westminster, stated:
Keir Starmer should sack Peter Mandelson with out additional delay – and are available clear about what he knew when, and whether or not he sanctioned blocking the publication of damaging materials.
UK authorities paperwork shouldn’t be hidden from the general public simply because they’re damaging to the Labour get together – and by backing Peter Mandelson to the hilt, the prime minister’s personal repute is now on the road.
Flynn is referring to this Occasions story.
Share
Paula Barker withdraws from Labour’s deputy management contest
Paula Barker has additionally dropped out from the Labour deputy management contest, PA Media is reporting.
Which means there are simply three candidates left in – Bridget Phillipson, Lucy Powell and Bell Ribeiro-Addy. (See 9.26am.)
Share
Labour MP Sharon Hodgson condemns assault on her constituency workplace
Police are investigating a hearth on the constituency workplace of the Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, who represents Washington and Gateshead South, the Sunderland Echo studies.
In keeping with the Sunderland Echo, in addition to the hearth injury, there may be graffiti on the constructing saying: “328 days blood in your palms”.
A spokesperson for Hodgson stated:
An incident occurred in a single day at Sharon’s workplace.
We is not going to be commenting or speculating whereas there may be an ongoing police investigation, what we’re clear on is there is no such thing as a place for this sort of violence in our society.
Sharon is not going to be deterred and can proceed to help her constituents in Washington and Gateshead South as she does day in, day trip.
Constituents ought to get in contact with their points by emailing within the regular manner.
Share
Hospital ready record figures rise for second month in row, NHS England figures reveal
Hospital ready record figures in England have risen for the second month in a row, the most recent figures reveal.
PA Media says an estimated 7.40 million therapies have been ready to be carried out on the finish of July, relating to six.25 million sufferers, up from 7.37 million therapies and 6.23 million sufferers on the finish of June.
The record hit a document excessive in September 2023, with 7.77 million therapies and 6.50 million sufferers.
In its personal information launch on the figures, NHS England has as an alternative centered on the figures exhibiting that “NHS employees delivered a document variety of most cancers checks and coverings in July, regardless of 5 days of business motion”.
Wes Streeting, the well being secretary, stated:
One yr in the past, I made a promise that we might ship 2 million further appointments in our first yr – not solely did we do that in simply 5 months, however we’ve obliterated that focus on, finishing up over 5 million.
Share
Mandelson reportedly being requested by Overseas Workplace to make clear particulars of his relationship with Epstein
In his Sky Information interview Mike Tapp, the House Workplace minister, stated that, so far as he was conscious, all the main points of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein have been recognized to the federal government.
However, in line with Sam Coates from Sky Information, that isn’t the case. He says that Ollie Robbins, everlasting secretary on the Overseas Workplace, has written to Mandelson asking him numerous questions on his dealings with the disgraced billionaire paedophile. Coates says Robbins is asking questions like: “When did you final meet Jeffrey Epstein earlier than he took his personal life? When did you final settle for hospitality? What have been your final enterprise dealings with?”
Share
House Workplace minister Mike Tapp says he discovered Mandelson’s emails to Epstein ‘disturbing and sickening’
Mike Tapp, who solely joined the federal government on the weekend as migration minister, was doing the interview spherical on behalf of No 10 this morning. He was there to advertise an announcement from the House Workplace about employers abusing the work visa system, however inevitably he spent most of his time speaking about Peter Mandelson.
Tapp was efficient at expressing his horror on the messages which were printed from Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein. He informed LBC that the emails have been “actually disturbing and sickening” and on BBC Breakdfast he stated they made him “shudder”.
However junior ministers doing the interview spherical at all times battle when they’re requested to touch upon choices being made within the PM’s workplace and Tapp roughly admitted that he didn’t know the way issues have been going to unfold.
In his Occasions Radio interview, requested if Mandelson would nonetheless be ambassador to the US when Donald Trump makes his state go to to the UK subsequent week, Tapp replied: “So far as I do know.”
And requested if Keir Starmer would proceed to retain confidence in Mandelson for the remainder of the day, Tapp stated: “I can’t say. I’m not the prime minister.”
Share
Overseas Workplace minister to reply Commons pressing query on Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to US
There will probably be an pressing query within the Commons at 10.30am on Peter Mandelson. The Speaker has granted a query tabled by the Conservative Neil O’Brien asking a Overseas Workplace minister to make a press release “on the method for the appointment of the UK’s ambassador to the USA”.
Share
Emily Thornberry drops out of Labour’s deputy management contest after coming final in newest nomination rely
Emily Thornberry has introduced that she is withdrawing from the competition to be Labour’s subsequent deputy chief. In a publish on social media, she stated:
I’m deeply grateful to all of the Labour members who’ve shared their help.
However I’ve determined to withdraw.
It has been a privilege to participate on this race with such good girls.
I’ll at all times be dedicated to this get together and do all the pieces I can to make it profitable.
Six MPs declared on Tuesday there have been standing within the contest, however Alison McGovern dropped out yesterday and final evening, when Labour printed the most recent nomination figures, it turned clearly that solely two candidates are prone to make the poll.
To qualify, MPs want nominations from at the least 80 MPs. Bridget Phillipson has handed that threshold, and Lucy Powell appears sure to achieve it by 5pm this afternoon, when nominations shut.
Listed here are the nomination figures launched final evening. Thornberry had the least help.
Bridget Phillipson: 116
Lucy Powell: 77
Bell Ribeiro-Addy: 15
Paula Barker: 14
Emily Thornberry: 13
Now that Thornberry had dropped out, the 13 MPs who nominated her are free to appoint another person.
Share
Starmer underneath recent strain to sack Mandelson as Andy McDonald claims PLP ‘100%’ in opposition to letting him keep
Good morning. Keir Starmer knew that Peter Mandelson had had a protracted and shut friendship with Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed him ambassador to Washingon. He additionally knew that Mandelson has been a scandal magnet for many of his profession. However he was not appointing him archbishop of Canterbury. He calculated that Mandelson could be the suitable particular person to forge relationship with the immoral plutocrat narcissist now working America (additionally an outdated pal of Epstein’s), and by all accounts Mandelson has completed this very efficiently.
However, as Rowena Mason studies in her in a single day story, Starmer is now underneath strain to ditch the ambassador as a result of new revelations about his relationship with Epstein have made it more and more laborious to defend – not least as a result of Mandelson continued to help him in personal even after he was dealing with fees for little one intercourse offences.
Yesterday the leftwingers Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Kim Johnson have been about the one Labour MPs calling for Mandelson to be sacked. However this morning, in an interview with the Right now programme, Andy McDonald, a shadow cupboard minister underneath Jeremy Corbyn and underneath Starmer till 2021, additionally spoke out, saying Mandelson ought to go instantly.
McDonald informed the programme:
[Mandelson] ought to go instantly. His place is totally and totally untenable and him staying on in publish is inflicting the federal government and the Labour get together additional injury. I’m afraid if he doesn’t do the suitable factor and resign right now then the prime minister ought to sack him …
Angela Rayner did the suitable factor. She was underneath strain for an inadvertent failure to pay tax. That is of a totally completely different scale. This speaks about morality and judgement, and Peter Mandelson’s place simply is completely untenable, and he must act and take accountability for his failures and withdraw from the political scene instantly.
Extra considerably, McDonald additionally claimed this was the personal view of most or all Labour MPs. Requested what number of different Labour MPs agreed with what he was saying about Mandelson, McDonald replied:
It’s 100%. Individuals have gotten their heads of their palms over this and I haven’t spoken to anyone who’s providing any glimmer of help for Peter Mandelson. It’s widespread revulsion that we, by affiliation, being in the identical get together, are being introduced underneath the microscope for one thing that he has completed.
He’s acquired to take accountability for his actions and convey this to a detailed.
There isn’t anyone within the Labour get together who’s supporting Peter Mandelson right now and the prime minister’s acquired to listen to that and perceive that he’ll weaken his place if he continues to help him. He can’t defend the indefensible.
When it was put to him that it was price preserving Mandelson in publish as a result of he was serving to the UK to get beneficial choices out of the White Home, McDonald replied:
There’s acquired to be an ethical compass. There are girls who’ve been so essentially broken by the behaviour of Epstein and his associates, and, in honour of them, we’ve acquired to place down a marker and say that is wholly and totally unacceptable.
And the implications that circulation from someone having to fall on their sword would be the penalties, and we’ll cope with it.
It is not going to derail the connection between the USA and the UK. That may maintain manner past this present prime minister and this present president.
Partially that is simply Labour factionalism; it’s the most recent skirmish in a battle between Mandelson and the left that has been happening because the Eighties. Mandelson as soon as famously stated he needed to consign the Corbynite left to a “sealed tomb”, and the MPs who’ve been talking out in opposition to him, like McDonald, are leftwingers who’re returning the favour. However it isn’t simply that. Opposition events are demanding Mandelson’s resignation too, and the rightwing papers are gunning for him as properly.
There will probably be fairly much more of this because the day goes on.
Right here is the agenda for the day.
9.30am: NHS England publishes its newest month-to-month efficiency figures.
9.45am: Wes Streeting, the well being secretary, speaks at a Coverage Reside occasion in London.
10.3am: Alan Campbell, the brand new chief of the Commons, takes enterprise questions within the chamber.
11.30am: Downing Road holds a foyer briefing.
Midday: John Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, takes questions at Holyrood.
2.30pm: John Healey, the defence secretary, speaks on the DSEI convention in London.
Afternoon: David Lammy, the brand new deputy PM and justice secretary, visits a jail in south London.
5pm: Nominations shut for the Labour get together deputy management. As Jessica Elgot studies, Bridget Phillipson is unquestionably a candidate, and it’s possible just one different MP will probably be nominated – Lucy Powell.
If you wish to contact me, please publish a message under the road when feedback are open (usually between 10am and 3pm BST in the mean time), or message me on social media. I can’t learn all of the messages BTL, however for those who put “Andrew” in a message geared toward me, I’m extra prone to see it as a result of I seek for posts containing that phrase.
If you wish to flag one thing up urgently, it’s best to make use of social media. You may attain me on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social. The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, however particular person Guardian journalists are there, I nonetheless have my account, and for those who message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I’ll see it and reply if needed.
I discover it very useful when readers level out errors, even minor typos. No error is just too small to appropriate. And I discover your questions very fascinating too. I can’t promise to answer to all of them, however I’ll attempt to reply to as many as I can, both BTL or typically within the weblog.
Share
Up to date at 04.28 EDT
