ANDREW PIERCE: Will Keir criticism see Mandy back in the wilderness?

Release time：2024-05-21 13:58:50 Source：Culture Compass news portal

As one of the architects of New Labour, the former Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson enjoys an open line to Sir Keir Starmer.

The consummate master of political spin and self-styled 'Prince of Darkness', who masterminded Tony Blair's 1997 election victory, was banished to the wilderness during Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. But how long will he be back in favour with Starmer?

A few weeks ago, he was back in Labour HQ's bad books when he said that 'Starmer needs to shed a few pounds' to boost his popularity. Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting accused Mandelson of 'fat shaming'.

Last week, Mandelson addressed 'The Codgers', a group of 60 veteran political hacks, at London's Garrick Club.

The peer, who twice resigned from Blair's Cabinet amid allegations of sleaze before reinventing himself as an EU commissioner, said Labour was heading for a decisive victory. 'But do they have a mandate? That is my question,' he asked pointedly.

Last week, Mandelson addressed 'The Codgers', a group of 60 veteran political hacks, at London's Garrick Club

A few weeks ago, Lord Mandelson was back in Labour HQ's bad books when he said that 'Starmer (pictured) needs to shed a few pounds' to boost his popularity

The consummate master of political spin and self-styled 'Prince of Darkness', who masterminded Tony Blair 's 1997 election victory (pictured on the campaign trail in Hartlepool)

His intervention came as a poll by Lord Ashcroft showed the Tories 21 points behind — but with 45 per cent saying they don't want Starmer as PM.

Mandelson also highlighted the limited ministerial experience of Labour's frontbenchers — and warned that if Starmer doesn't manage to resonate with voters, it could be a one-term Labour government. 

Will Starmer still return Mandy's calls after that?

Dig out your dancing shoes, Liz

Advice for Liz Truss from former Labour Education Secretary Ed Balls, who says that if the ex PM wants a chance of rehabilitation into politics, she should 'go away for a while, be contrite, find a moral cause, come back and rebuild her credibility on a particular issue'. 

Or perhaps she should follow in the two left feet of Balls and enter Strictly Come Dancing.

Or perhaps she should follow in the two left feet of Ed Balls and enter Strictly Come Dancing. Pictured: Balls and his dancing partner Katya Jones performing in 2017

At the launch party for Liz Truss's memoir, Ten Years To Save The West, she made the economic case for people to buy her book. 

'I do have two children to feed,' she said. 'I have to pay for new trainers because they used to have those Adidas ones.'

Her children, like so many, abandoned their Samba trainers after seeing Rishi Sunak wearing them during an interview at No 10.

Truss's pleas are working — the book is racing up the bestsellers list.

At the launch party for Liz Truss's memoir, Ten Years To Save The West, she made the economic case for people to buy her book

Ms Truss' children, like so many, abandoned their Samba trainers after seeing Rishi Sunak wearing them during an interview at No 10

Understatement of the week: Chris Stark, outgoing chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, asked by the BBC yesterday about the tactics of Just Stop Oil, said: 'They are their own worst enemies. They have actually caused us a problem in the discussion of climate change.'

Chris Stark, outgoing chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, said Just Stop Oil are their own worst enemies

London mayor Sadiq Khan continues to deny that he plans to bring in a pay-per-mile driving scheme. 

Yet he admits as much in his own book, Breathe. 

'We have plans ... to introduce a new more comprehensive road charging system to be implemented by the end of the decade at the latest,' he writes.

The book only came out last year. Take note in next week's mayoral elections.

London mayor Sadiq Khan continues to deny that he plans to bring in a pay-per-mile driving scheme

Now Time's up for Tim

Another senior Conservative MP is standing down at the next General Election, taking the total number of Tory members throwing in the towel to 64. 

This time it's Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, who has spoken more than any other MP in the Commons so far this year. 

Loughton, who's held the seat since 1997 with a slim majority of 7,500, clearly doesn't think he'll hang on much longer, telling his local newspaper: 'It is remarkable how nice people are to you when you declare that you're off.' 

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, is standing down at the next General Election

Mr Loughton has spoken more than any other MP in the Commons so far this year. Pictured on February 29, 2024, following the publication of the first report from the Angiolini Inquiry into Sarah Everard killer Wayne Couzens

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