Page 4 | To not believe Keir Starmer

Viviennemary · 2026-04-16T19:10:29+00:00

I'm sick of Keir Starmer's dodging over Peter Mandelson. He said he wasn't aware PM hadn't passed security vetting. He's been asked again and again about this. The knives are definitely out for him and I would be glad to see the back of him.

EasternStandard · 17/04/2026 07:22

penguin816 · 17/04/2026 07:14

agree fully with this. Our press hates Starmer and people are just jumping on this but honestly he is the adult in the room we need right now. No to a chaotic leadership campaign, and no to Reform’s corruption or Polanski’s lack of grasp on economics. Yes to some stability to give the government a chance to carry out their manifesto and steer us through the Trump years without WW3 if that’s possible.

In the past we tolerated governments for a term at least to let them attempt things. Now we have a collective lack of attention span, a TikTok scrolling culture and a Prime next day mentality and expect change to happen instantly overnight. Well it doesn’t! Governing is HARD. They have made progress on things like the NHS, and net zero whilst being thwarted by Trump’s tariffs and his war and the dreadful legacy left behind.

Let’s wait out this term and see what they can do without the constant distractions fuelled by the Telegraph, Daily Mail et al. KS has his flaws but I don’t believe he’s a liar and I do believe he has integrity. He is standing up to Trump at last and finding his own voice now McSweeney has gone.

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They’ll get what they used to get in, which was media fuelled over policy.

The press went for the last gov post partygate, it was relished then so now Labour face it.

Treadcarefully11 · 17/04/2026 07:26

penguin816 · 17/04/2026 07:14

agree fully with this. Our press hates Starmer and people are just jumping on this but honestly he is the adult in the room we need right now. No to a chaotic leadership campaign, and no to Reform’s corruption or Polanski’s lack of grasp on economics. Yes to some stability to give the government a chance to carry out their manifesto and steer us through the Trump years without WW3 if that’s possible.

In the past we tolerated governments for a term at least to let them attempt things. Now we have a collective lack of attention span, a TikTok scrolling culture and a Prime next day mentality and expect change to happen instantly overnight. Well it doesn’t! Governing is HARD. They have made progress on things like the NHS, and net zero whilst being thwarted by Trump’s tariffs and his war and the dreadful legacy left behind.

Let’s wait out this term and see what they can do without the constant distractions fuelled by the Telegraph, Daily Mail et al. KS has his flaws but I don’t believe he’s a liar and I do believe he has integrity. He is standing up to Trump at last and finding his own voice now McSweeney has gone.

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It would be a very dull world if we all thought the same however posts like this make me think we’re probably not all from the same species!

Alltheprettyseahorses · 17/04/2026 08:03

Anyone who says Starmer has integrity obviously hasn't paid the slightesbit of attention to his time as PM wobbling from Lord Ali scandal to freebies scandal. He's far more corrupt than Johnson ever could be, even with the inflated fever dream stories like the wallpaper etc (as a side, Starmer's wallpaper bill has just been released).

Who could replace him? Labour MPs are a really substandard bunch but there's a new MP, can't think of her name, who was a world expert in a niche piece of law and has got herself on loads of committees and stuff. She seems dedicated and hardworking, I'd pick her to take over but obviously Labour doesn't do women. Otherwise, Badenoch comes across as the most competent, not a hard thing to be, if an election is called.

I'll declare my voting intention for the shills - I'll draw a pretty picture on my ballot paper to illustrate how crap I think the lot of them are.

GlovedhandsCecilia · 17/04/2026 08:07

Objectively, this kind of sounds like the normal DBS process. While an employer/agency usually follows the advice of the vetting agency, they dont have to AFAIK.

Brucetherobert · 17/04/2026 08:14

Preppyprepper · 16/04/2026 22:40

It's very interesting that no one is willing to say who they think shoukd take charge. Probably because they are ashamed to admit they are going to vote reform or green because they know, deep down, how moronic that is and how stupid they are to fall for populism.

Still waiting for a suggestion...

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Rupert Lowe is my suggestion.

finsberry · 17/04/2026 08:19

Velvetandleather · 17/04/2026 06:57

What about her, raynor the public won’t accept and she’s still under investigation due to her tax fraud.

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I liked Raynor too. That seemed like a classist witch hunt.
she would hold her own with trump and farage.

highlydoubtful · 17/04/2026 08:23

It just seems inconceivable that his team would allow him to make the appointment yet fail to tell him that Peter M had failed vetting? Why would they do that? That just doesn’t ring true to me.

Even on a micro scale in my business - if I were to offer a job to someone but they failed their DRB or had a patchy reference, I’d be told straight away as ultimately it’s my head on the block if I appoint someone who turns out to be a liability.

Surely with such a massively important role in government, someone must have told KS?

GlovedhandsCecilia · 17/04/2026 08:27

highlydoubtful · 17/04/2026 08:23

It just seems inconceivable that his team would allow him to make the appointment yet fail to tell him that Peter M had failed vetting? Why would they do that? That just doesn’t ring true to me.

Even on a micro scale in my business - if I were to offer a job to someone but they failed their DRB or had a patchy reference, I’d be told straight away as ultimately it’s my head on the block if I appoint someone who turns out to be a liability.

Surely with such a massively important role in government, someone must have told KS?

The foreign Office were told apparently and privacy meant that Keir was not.

See, something really similar happened somewhere that I worked and privacy was also cited as the reason why people directly managing the individual were not told. The people who knew were the BossFolk who are based elsewhere and had likely never met the person.

When shit hit the fan, people assumed those closer the individual must have known, but they did not. That much was proven, but it still affects their reputation.

xino · 17/04/2026 08:31

Starmer is a lawyer. It’s in his DNA. He’s also a very, very weak person with not a lot of integrity. He is not leading the country well whatever he might think. He is easily as disingenuous as any other prime minister he espouses to despise.

I doubt he’ll resign. He may eventually be forced to resign but then we’ll probably get someone with even less integrity and the cycle begins again.

What we need is PR. FPTP doesn’t work for the UK anymore as we’re not a 2 party country anymore.

Whatafustercluck · 17/04/2026 08:37

What has he lied about, objectively?

He seems to me to take ownership and apologise when necessary, listen to opinion and fact and not be afraid to change direction on that basis. This is exactly what the electorate said they wanted their politicians to do. Now he's doing it, he's accused of being spineless and lying. I don't think he's a very good politician precisely because he seems to possess more integrity than we're used to. People seem to want us to return to electing 'characters' and chancers into Number 10. Look where that got us. Give me the grey man any day, even if I don't agree with all his policies (notably SEN reforms).

So, what has he been proven to have lied about, objectively?

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 17/04/2026 08:40

penguin816 · 17/04/2026 07:14

agree fully with this. Our press hates Starmer and people are just jumping on this but honestly he is the adult in the room we need right now. No to a chaotic leadership campaign, and no to Reform’s corruption or Polanski’s lack of grasp on economics. Yes to some stability to give the government a chance to carry out their manifesto and steer us through the Trump years without WW3 if that’s possible.

In the past we tolerated governments for a term at least to let them attempt things. Now we have a collective lack of attention span, a TikTok scrolling culture and a Prime next day mentality and expect change to happen instantly overnight. Well it doesn’t! Governing is HARD. They have made progress on things like the NHS, and net zero whilst being thwarted by Trump’s tariffs and his war and the dreadful legacy left behind.

Let’s wait out this term and see what they can do without the constant distractions fuelled by the Telegraph, Daily Mail et al. KS has his flaws but I don’t believe he’s a liar and I do believe he has integrity. He is standing up to Trump at last and finding his own voice now McSweeney has gone.

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Don’t blame the press.

If they had nothing to write about they wouldn’t be writing.

And why are you so much against free press exposing irregularities?

AlecTrevelyan006 · 17/04/2026 08:46

So a senior Foreign Office civil servant decided to approve the failed vetting and didn't bother to tell his boss David Lammy or anyone in senior government.

Err Why would he not mention that? It doesn't sound right. You make a decision like that I would have thought you would at least discuss with Lammy your immediate boss.

This along with the missing phone and other missing documentation, well it just stinks.

Alltheprettyseahorses · 17/04/2026 08:46

Whatafustercluck · 17/04/2026 08:37

What has he lied about, objectively?

He seems to me to take ownership and apologise when necessary, listen to opinion and fact and not be afraid to change direction on that basis. This is exactly what the electorate said they wanted their politicians to do. Now he's doing it, he's accused of being spineless and lying. I don't think he's a very good politician precisely because he seems to possess more integrity than we're used to. People seem to want us to return to electing 'characters' and chancers into Number 10. Look where that got us. Give me the grey man any day, even if I don't agree with all his policies (notably SEN reforms).

So, what has he been proven to have lied about, objectively?

Edited

Is this for real? Every time something goes wrong it never crossed Starmer's desk so it's someone else's fault. How many times has the Mandelson story changed? How many times has he been shown to have lied at the despatch box? Not being tribal, I don't understand why people feel the need to defend 'their' politician beyond all reason but surely at some point the penny must drop even for those pretending against all evidence that Starmer has integrity and has been competent.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12/12/the-twelve-lies-of-keir-starmer/ (yeah, yeah, far right etc. Doesn't mean it's not true)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12/12/the-twelve-lies-of-keir-starmer

TooLittleTooLate2 · 17/04/2026 08:48

Whatafustercluck · 17/04/2026 08:37

What has he lied about, objectively?

He seems to me to take ownership and apologise when necessary, listen to opinion and fact and not be afraid to change direction on that basis. This is exactly what the electorate said they wanted their politicians to do. Now he's doing it, he's accused of being spineless and lying. I don't think he's a very good politician precisely because he seems to possess more integrity than we're used to. People seem to want us to return to electing 'characters' and chancers into Number 10. Look where that got us. Give me the grey man any day, even if I don't agree with all his policies (notably SEN reforms).

So, what has he been proven to have lied about, objectively?

Edited

I doubt he has lied outright but I do think he has misled parliament by omission. To say proper due process was followed but not saying mandelson failed that proper due process for example. I think it is inconceivable he was not informed, at best deeply incompetent. It would be really unhelpful to have a leadership election at this stage but I can't see how he can stay, he doesn't have the political capital for that

senua · 17/04/2026 08:49

So, what has he been proven to have lied about, objectively?
Mandelson was stood down as Ambassador in September 2025. Starmer has only just this week found out that PS failed vetting.
Do you really believe that?

ProudAmberTurtle · 17/04/2026 08:51

And how unlucky is Starmer that all the details were on Morgan McSweeney's phone, which then got stolen

GlovedhandsCecilia · 17/04/2026 08:52

TooLittleTooLate2 · 17/04/2026 08:48

I doubt he has lied outright but I do think he has misled parliament by omission. To say proper due process was followed but not saying mandelson failed that proper due process for example. I think it is inconceivable he was not informed, at best deeply incompetent. It would be really unhelpful to have a leadership election at this stage but I can't see how he can stay, he doesn't have the political capital for that

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Did he fail it though? It seems like the FO had the right to overrule it if they wanted. That right has now been suspended. What I am interested in is how that might affect the Average Joe with a criminal record.

ProudAmberTurtle · 17/04/2026 08:52

Looks like Labour ministers are briefing against Starmer now, and he might not even cling on til the local elections.

Even Ed Davey has called for him to resign - surely that's the final nail in his coffin

Greenwitchart · 17/04/2026 08:54

I voted Labour but absolutely hate what this man has done in government. I assume he will stay until the May local election and then hopefully there will be a leadership challenge so we can have an actual Labour PM...

Starmer has poor judgement in general and appointing a snake like Mendelson was always going to backfire but ignoring the fact that he failed the vetting process is unforgivable.

RufustheFactualReindeer · 17/04/2026 08:54

DisappearingGirl · 16/04/2026 23:30

Starmer and Labour aren't perfect but I still trust them to lead the country more than I trust the Tories, Greens or Reform, and the Lib Dems haven't said anything particularly insightful in the last few years to make me think they'd do a better job either.

To me Mandelson is just a distraction and I think we need to let Labour have a couple of uninterrupted years to have a go at addressing some of our country's long-term issues (whilst also firefighting crazy presidents and global wars) without trying to oust our leader every 5 minutes. Unless we want to go straight back to the 14+ years of Tory rule, or (even worse) Reform.

This

if it matters I have never voted labour but i don’t think he lied

6 prime ministers in 10 years is ridiculous and I don’t want labour to follow that example of swapping out their leaders

Pacificsunshine · 17/04/2026 08:55

Of course I don’t believe him.

It’s ridiculous.

TooLittleTooLate2 · 17/04/2026 08:56

GlovedhandsCecilia · 17/04/2026 08:52

Did he fail it though? It seems like the FO had the right to overrule it if they wanted. That right has now been suspended. What I am interested in is how that might affect the Average Joe with a criminal record.

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Well because the government has not berm transparent we don't know for sure. This is not about the average Joe (who would not be offered any preferential treatment I am sure) but the most high profile appointment the government could make on the world stage. Surely we deserve better especially when we are all desperate for some old fashioned honesty and integrity. Labour came in on that ticket. They have let everybody down.

Greenwitchart · 17/04/2026 08:58

edwinbear · 16/04/2026 22:03

That may be the case, but surely if you’re looking to appoint a controversial figure to such a high profile role, the first question you ask is ‘has he cleared security vetting’. Not just assume someone will let you know if there’s a problem.

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Exactly. The US ambassador with Trump as president is such a key role. I cannot believe for a second that a PM would not want to make sure that the right person is chosen and that all the proper checks have been conducted. So Starmer is either a fool or a liar.

RufustheFactualReindeer · 17/04/2026 08:58

And what *penguin816 *

said…starmer is hated by the right wing press for being left and by the left wing press for being not left enough

TooLittleTooLate2 · 17/04/2026 08:59

ProudAmberTurtle · 17/04/2026 08:52

Looks like Labour ministers are briefing against Starmer now, and he might not even cling on til the local elections.

Even Ed Davey has called for him to resign - surely that's the final nail in his coffin

A leadership election will take time. It won't be resolved until after the may elections so doesn't tar the new leader with that result and they will be able to say fresh start etc. I don't think they will wait this time, but we will see...