We’ve entered the final stage of the Starmer premiership. I really see no way back, writes Andrew Marr
This is going to sound, perhaps like a confession. Even an embarrassing one. But here goes.
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I have always liked Keir Starmer.
Worse, I still think he’s a fundamentally decent man, in politics for the right reasons.
So I say this with genuine sadness.
I think we’ve entered the final stage of the Starmer premiership.
I don’t know exactly how or when the end will come - often these things are a surprise, and there are circumstances – if nobody moves, if everybody waits – in which he could carry on, unhappily enough, at least until the summer.
But listening to furious, disillusioned Labour MPs and reflecting on his frankly unconvincing performance earlier this afternoon on the Mandelson affair, it feels as if we have reached a tipping point.
Too many misjudgments. Too much authority lost. Too little direction.
I really see no way back.
That’s a solemn thing to say because, of course, we can’t know what might follow.
What about Ukraine? What about the bond markets? What about relations with Trump? I know, I know, I know.
But politics is about authority and direction.
In the Commons this evening the government has made a headlong retreat to stave off a massive rebellion.
It’s all about who has control over which Mandelson messages and documents are released.
After insisting passionately it had to be Number 10, Starmer seems now to be giving it up to MPs who are members of the intelligence and security committee.
Angela Rayner, the ousted deputy Prime Minister, is being credited with saving his bacon after a panicky afternoon.
But Downing Street’s embarrassing surrender of control tells you, by itself, a lot.
My assumption is that Starmer will now get through the vote… But then comes the by-election, and then come the Scottish, Welsh and local elections.
And if they are remotely as bad for Labour as seems likely, then Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Washington ambassador, even while knowing, as he admitted today, that his friendship with Epstein continued, after the latter's conviction for child sex offences, will be a big part of the story.
And who’s to blame for that?
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Andrew Marr is an author, journalist and presenter for LBC.
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