Mandy

[TailWindHome]

Spoke to someone who went through DV for a senior civil service role.

The vetting is carried out by security services and is both intrusive and mindnumbingly irritating.

A report goes to the civil servant in the 'security officer' role with a recommendation. In this instance the civil servant charged with the decision was several rungs below them on the ladder, but this (and data security) was their full time role.

The civil servant makes the decision to grant or withold clearance based on the report. If the decision is positive there's no further discussion and the report goes no further. If the decision is negative the 'security officer' provides the vettee's line management with the reason for the refusal. They then decide.

 

[TailWindHome]

You really believe, that the messages just stopped at director of communications for No10?

The matter would have been discussed with multiple people within no10 in the following hours.

Ok. But that's supposition and speculation rather than facts and evidence.

The Whatsapp is consistent with the No10 position that FDCO officials gave Mandelson the thumbs up.

 

[CXRAndy]

So the most important job in foreign policy relations is left to junior civil servants. A whole raft of people were involved.

Starmer screwed up the situation by personal announcement of mandleson. They then hoped it would all blow over.

Except the epstein file release shone a light directly at mandleson and his relationship with epstein, resurfacing the whole why did you appoint him ambassador fiasco.

Reporters started digging and here we are now.

 

[CXRAndy]

Ok. But that's supposition and speculation rather than facts and evidence.

The Whatsapp is consistent with the No10 position that FDCO officials gave Mandelson the thumbs up.

Maddox stated he had two sources from UK and US confirming Mandleson failed vetting

 

[TailWindHome]

So the most important job in foreign policy relations is left to junior civil servants. A whole raft of people were involved.

Ollie Robbins isn't a junior civil servant

 

[CXRAndy]

Ollie Robbins isn't a junior civil servant

He became head FCDO in 8th January 2025 after starmer announced mandleson in December 2024.

Im going to now wait till after this week's select committee has convened

 

[Pinno718]

Ollie Robbins isn't a junior civil servant

It really isn't worth it TWH.
Go pedal.

 

[TailWindHome]

He became head FCDO in 8th January 2025 after starmer announced mandleson in December 2024.

Yes. That is correct

 

[Poacher]

Wholly crap.

You're being too hard on yourself. I'm sure you might have contributed one or two posts which didn't fall under that description. Possibly.

 

[Stevo 666]

It does have all the hallmarks of the repeated angles they took on Rayner till they 'got her'. There's no Starmer-worship on here – he's a deep disappointment in many ways – but as I say, I think he's going to get out of this one, as there's no smoking gun as such, just more uninterested Starmerism.

I agree that this probably won't cause the fall of Starmer, but it is another dent in his already battered reputation as a leader. In a way that is good, as keeping him and RFA in office is probably the least worst option while Labour are in government (given the obvious alternatives).

 

[bobzmyunkle]

I agree that this probably won't cause the fall of Starmer, but it is another dent in his already battered reputation as a leader. In a way that is good, as keeping him and RFA in office is probably the least worst option while Labour are in government (given the obvious alternatives).

F*ck me, I'm on the verge of agreeing with @Stevo 666

 

[C R]

F*ck me, I'm on the verge of agreeing with @Stevo 666

That's nothing, I've agreed with the pope twice in the last fortnight. I think the end is near.

 

[Stevo 666]

F*ck me, I'm on the verge of agreeing with @Stevo 666

There's hope for you yet, Bobz 🙂

 

[TailWindHome]

I agree that this probably won't cause the fall of Starmer

If he inadvertently mislead parliament he corrects the record and limps on. I don't think politically it makes any difference. The electorate are going to beat the shite out of him in May. Nothing is going to make that better or worse now

If is demonstrated he deliberately mislead parliament he'll be resigning on Tuesday.

If there's enough grey area it'll go to the Privileges committee and could go either way. But not until after May's battering

 

[TailWindHome]

This from Starmer at PMQ is an interesting thread for the opposition to pull at.

It's not consistent with the current story

He only knows this if he seen the vetting or asked his own questions