“[It] doesn’t seem as though it’s any form of protection against oligarchs wanting to influence British politics”. Chief Exec. of the Electoral Commission, Vijay Rangarajan, on why the proposed electoral law reforms won't protect UK democracy from overseas. More from @catneilan.bsky.social ⤵️

Legislation designed to strengthen the electoral system against foreign interference contains exploitable loopholes, the Electoral Commission has warned Vijay Rangarajan tells @theobserveruk.bsky.social that the bill as drafted lacks “protection against oligarchs" observer.co.uk/news/politic...

"Several sources, including MPs and former Labour staffers, told The Observer they had either witnessed or directly experienced negative behaviour, primarily but not exclusively towards women, ­dating back as far as the mid-2000s" So common knowledge he was a danger even b4 the paedophile stuff

Two weeks ago, Peter Mandelson told us he had no recollection of planning to buy a £2m apartment in Rio via a Panama holding company and a Brazilian company. Yesterday we found notarised incorporation documents for the Brazilian company, with Mr Mandelson's signature.

The women running the Government have a WhatsApp group called “the boys club”. How “girl power” took over in Number 10 observer.co.uk/news/politic...

Senior Labour MP @florenceeshalomi.bsky.social: "There is a lot of concern among female parliamentarians that when we raise things we are not taken seriously, and that is part of the toxicity around the leadership in No 10… we need to make sure we have reset on that.”

Exclusive: Labour politicians raised concerns about Keir Starmer’s plans to give Matthew Doyle a peerage in the weeks before it was confirmed, citing intimidating behaviour, particularly towards women. observer.co.uk/news/politic...

EXC Starmer's ex-comms chief suspended from Labour over links to sex offender inews.co.uk/news/politic...

There is no question that the situation with political corruption is deteriorating. The "good chap" model of self-regulation collapsed under Boris Johnson and has never recovered. Political donations are in practice essentially un-regulated, and House of Lords appointment processes are laughable.

Really useful explanation of the UK's flawed developed vetting process (and explains perhaps why, as we reported at the weekend, Epstein did not feature in the stage where contacts are interviewed)

When people say things have been on the slide for a while, this visualisaiton from @taxjusticeuk.bsky.social really shows why:

Getting really tired of "this is all a media concoction"... Starmer has the lowest approval rating of any PM in history bar Truss. Senior ministers are openly and unsubtly positioning. His Chief of Staff, Director of Comms and Cab Sec have all resigned on the same day. I mean come on...

Obviously major Whitehall news if it happens Perhaps not surprising given briefing. And if the PM loses confidence in a cabinet secretary then it’s pretty inevitable they go But an impartial civil service cab sec exiting as fallout from a government scandal/attempted reset is very much not great

Not the first time he's talked about giving big ministerial jobs to unelected individuals, but afaik it's the first time he's linked it to 'support'... This is (another reason) why standards & vetting of appointments is so important

And Alexander's predecessor:

Douglas Alexander says he will remain in Cabinet Says the PM has his support Doesn't sound very emphatic

Sounds as though Morgan has backed away from this - althouhg Times reporting "They’re on the same page when it comes to Keir’s future" Remains to be seen if those tipped for ministerial resignations also decide to hold off David Lammy has posted in support of the PM in last 20 mins

Anas Sarwar says: "The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change" Says it's for the sake of Scotland because "the opportunity to get rid of a failing SNP government is too important"

There has been, for some time now, a debate about who goes first in a leadership challenge. MPs are v conscious of the political truism that 's/he who wields the knife never wears the crown' It seems as if this is a strategic route around that problem

Am told Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales, is going to follow Anas Sarwar in calling for the PM to stand down; Also that there will be "Scottish MP ministerial resignations" afterwards Ministers saying it's the end game...

Damning line in @rachelsylvester.bsky.social's piece on Morgan McSweeney's legacy Says much Vidhya Alakeson was doing most of the "day to day" work but she was "doing the job with one hand tied behind her back because Morgan kept swinging in to throw a wrecking ball into her plans.”

Brace for a seismic week: 🚨 PM will update the country about standards & vetting changes 🚨 Reshuffle rumours suggest a possible cull of "Morgan’s shiny stars" 🚨 PM to address PLP tmr night 🚨 But can he last 3 months to locals? MPs question if he can last 3 days observer.co.uk/news/politic...

Labour MPs have been told Starmer will address the PLP tomorrow - wasn't expected to be him

Morgan McSweeney has quit

Exclusive: Investigators carrying out developed vetting (DV) on Mandelson failed to ask interviewees about his relationship with Epstein One of those interviewed during this phase told @theobserveruk.bsky.social there was “not a single question on Jeffrey Epstein” observer.co.uk/news/politic...

Ed Davey has finally taken action against Lord Rennard - after @aligoldsworthy.bsky.social asked him to "apply the same rules to your party", after his condemnation of Mandelson this week Very important story by @katemaltby.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

Exclusive: Gordon Brown raised concerns over the government appointment of former Scottish Sun editor David Dinsmore The ex-PM wrote to Cabinet Secretary twice, raising qus about Dinsmore's involvement in the paper's obtaining of private medical records observer.co.uk/news/politic...

Counter argument: Miliband for next chancellor

This is utterly ridiculous. At the time I went to No 10 (and Global Counsel, who said they were questions for govt) I was told it was ok bc Palantir is a 'significant technology investor in the UK economy' and Mandelson had 'fully relinquished his active role and all executive functions' w GC

Again, we all did. It was in the public domain.

Exclusive: Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons was provided with intelligence files gathered on journalists (including me) who had reported on Labour Together, the thinktank he chaired at the time (before he became an MP), sources say. Know more about this story? Contact me, Signal: henrydyer.01

* Mandelson's Global Counsel shares sold to Rebecca Park, who replaces Ben Wegg Prosser as chief exec * BWP says "With the completion of the divestment of Peter Mandelson’s stake in the business, I feel that now is the time to draw a line between Global Counsel and his actions."

Global Counsel's website updated - no mention of Ben Wegg Prosser

Labour MPs are advising each other not to go away over February recess, so quickly could the end come for Starmer "It's imminent," says one minister He's "dead in the water," says another senior MP observer.co.uk/news/the-sen...

I was working with @direthoughts.com when he broke the first stories about Labour Together's funding way back in 2021. Now it turns out they were paying private investigators to investigate him for reporting on them and Morgan McSweeney knew about it democracyforsale.substack.com/p/exclusive-...

This is really quite shocking

The ISC might argue that this will be a relatively quick release ("very shortly") but sources saying the opposite. One saying it will be an "iterative" process between ISC and Cab Sec The two page (ish) dossier pulled together by PET based on public domain info is likely to be released first

Keir Starmer needs another 44 days to overtake Rishi Sunak’s stay as PM

INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.

I'd echo this. The mood in the last couple of hours has got *extremely* dark.

“Brutal” is how one Labour MP describes PMQs, saying that, unlike previous weeks when back benchers have had Starmer’s back, there was “no willing him [the PM] on” this time. Feels like a dangerous few hours for the government.

And a lot of feathers were ruffled, both here and in the States, about her removal

Exclusive: Morgan McSweeney sought official advice about whether Mandelson could be the UK's ambassador to the US on a part-time basis Officials “had to explain that being His Majesty’s Ambassador in Washington was a full time job… in Washington" observer.co.uk/news/politic...

EXC: Disgraced peer Peter Mandelson was directly involved in helping Morgan McSweeney select Labour’s parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2024 general election, a party whistleblower told The i Paper. inews.co.uk/news/politic...

In an otherwise utterly grim saga this is, I'm sorry, hilarious. Epstein, the recipient of Mandelson's leaks chides him for being indiscreet and betraying his bosses in his autobiography.

Keir Starmer is going further than he has done before on Mandelson Says he "lied repeatedly" to his team and that he "regret[s] having ever appointed him" Starmer has agreed with the King to remove Mandelson from Privy Council

NEW: "Since @theobserveruk.bsky.social reported on the expansion of the Trump family’s business interests during the second administration, in May 2025, analysts estimate the family’s net worth has increased by several billion dollars" observer.co.uk/news/interna...

Breaking: the head of DOGE in Kent has resigned. My impression of Matthew was that he was a decent man leading a fundamentally ill-conceived project.

Times: The Metropolitan Police is expected to announced on Tuesday evening that Mandelson is being investigated on suspicion of misconduct in public office, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

If you just can't get enough of me talking about PornHub you can get another fix on the latest episode of The News Meeting with @catneilan.bsky.social and @serenacesareo.bsky.social @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/listen/the-n...