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Politics

Why Didn't Mandelson tell Starmer about potential skeletons in his closet?

33 replies

Sausagenbacon · 13/09/2025 20:38

Was it arrogance? Did he think that it wouldn't come to light?
Apologies if this has already been covered, but on the news there seems to have been a lot of debating about the Labour Party making checks on his past, when I can't believe that he wouldn't alert them to this.

OP posts:
Tatemoderndrawyourown · 14/09/2025 11:05

Bambamhoohoo · 14/09/2025 10:49

It’s not an “excuse”- no one is accusing him of trafficking young girls are they? They’re not accusing him of anything apart from having an unsavoury relationship with a convicted criminal.

him being a gay man is relevant because it makes it highly likely their friendship wasn’t related to epsteins ready supply of young vulnerable women for sex

Have you seen his letter in the birthday book? I’d look at that before speaking about him.

Bambamhoohoo · 14/09/2025 13:46

Tatemoderndrawyourown · 14/09/2025 11:05

Have you seen his letter in the birthday book? I’d look at that before speaking about him.

well obviously… that’s literally the catalyst for this entire situation 😂 do you think there is anyone talking about this who hasn’t seen it?!

Tatemoderndrawyourown · 14/09/2025 18:46

Oh darling, I’m not talking about the emails. Don’t worry, you’ll get there too at some point.

Pollqueen · 14/09/2025 18:49

Oh bless your naivety

Bambamhoohoo · 14/09/2025 18:58

Tatemoderndrawyourown · 14/09/2025 18:46

Oh darling, I’m not talking about the emails. Don’t worry, you’ll get there too at some point.

Well you’re obviously not talking about emails since your post literally said “LETTERS IN THE BIRTHDAY BOOK”- why are you confused about your own post?

SmudgeHughes · 21/09/2025 09:10

Sausagenbacon · 13/09/2025 20:38

Was it arrogance? Did he think that it wouldn't come to light?
Apologies if this has already been covered, but on the news there seems to have been a lot of debating about the Labour Party making checks on his past, when I can't believe that he wouldn't alert them to this.

Starmer will have been briefed by his lieutenants that it was all a load of hot air, that Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, while unfortunate, was above board and safe, that there was no more information to come out. He’s probably been let down by his senior team?

SmudgeHughes · 21/09/2025 09:12

SmudgeHughes · 21/09/2025 09:10

Starmer will have been briefed by his lieutenants that it was all a load of hot air, that Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, while unfortunate, was above board and safe, that there was no more information to come out. He’s probably been let down by his senior team?

Starmer wanted the best man for the tricky job of achieving Britain’s best interests with the new US administration, and specifically with Trump.

He decided that the career diplomats at the Foreign Office simply didn’t cut it, at the level required. Mandelson offered suave intelligence, connections and an ability to do business for Britain at the most senior levels.

No10 will have decided that the financial and propriety incidents of the past were no longer an issue. They will have been reassured (by Mandelson? By those tasked to conduct vetting?) that the Epstein association was unfortunate but limited and manageable.

The PM probably didn’t even see the full report of any vetting; he will have been given the headlines or conclusions. He already knew that he wanted Mandelson and would have been disinclined to hear from detractors.

Advice from any in the Foreign Office would possibly have been minimised because of the civil service’s annoyance that professional diplomats with safe track records were being sidelined in favour of a starry political operator. They will now feel vindicated.

EmpressoftheMundane · 21/09/2025 14:09

Mandelson told Kier.

Kier decided it was worth the risk.

TBF, up until the scandal Mandelson seemed to be doing a good job.

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