How damaging are the Mandelson files for Starmer?
3/12/202626 min
As the first tranche of documents relating to the hiring of Peter Mandelson are released, how bad will the fallout be for Keir Starmer and the government? Pippa Crerar is joined by Peter Walker to discuss. Plus, the fuel duty row that Rachel Reeves thought she could avoid. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
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First 90 secondsSpeaker 0· Soundbite0:00
This is The Guardian.
Suzannah Lipscomb0:01
[instrumental music] After civil war, regicide, and Cromwell's republic, the monarchy returned, but Britain would never be the same. I'm Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, and this month on Not Just the Tudors, we're transported back to the age of Restoration royalty from Charles II to Queen Anne and the birth of the empire. Join me on Not Just the Tudors from History Hit, wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2· Soundbite0:40
The Prime Minister has taken responsibility for Peter Mandelson's appointment as Ambassador to the United States. He has acknowledged it was a mistake and has apologized.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:56
Maybe the Prime Minister was lied to, but he was lied to by an inveterate liar who had been fired twice before. And we're supposed to believe, Madam Deputy Speaker, that the Prime Minister, who was once the chief prosecutor in this country, couldn't see through this nonsense. It beggars belief.
Speaker 0· Soundbite1:13
A part of the problem is that these taxes are put on by politicians who don't fill up their own cars or who ride bicycles in North London.
Speaker 4· Soundbite1:22
Which is why, as I said yesterday, the most important thing we can do to address the cost of living challenges people face is to deescalate the conflict