Starmer’s Mandelson Mess and the Iranian Nuclear Threat
4/21/202650 min
Did Starmer show a fatal lack of judgement and curiosity about Peter Mandelson’s suitability for public office? How and why did Trump destroy years of successful Iranian nuclear ‘containment’ policy? Four years into the Sudan war, what does the failure of peace efforts reveal about the unravelling of the world order?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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First 90 secondsAlastair Campbell· Host0:00
Thanks for listening to The Rest Is Politics. To support the podcast, listen without the adverts, and get early access to episodes and live show tickets, go to therestispolitics.com. That's therestispolitics.com.
Rory Stewart· Host0:11
Appointing Peter Mandelson in the first place was a massive lapse of judgment.
Alastair Campbell· Host0:17
Look, it's a mess. There's no, there's no getting out of it. This is a mess.
Rory Stewart· Host0:19
The reason why Starmer's finished is that this demonstrates above all that he lacks the two things that he claimed to possess, which is judgment and seriousness.
Alastair Campbell· Host0:29
He's in this mess at this particular time because he made a bad decision.
Rory Stewart· Host0:33
At what point did Starmer try to find out the truth? Did he actually care at all? This was one of the biggest scandals at the heart of his government, something that almost brought him down. The minimal expectation would've been a bit of curiosity.
Alastair Campbell· Host0:47
[upbeat music] This episode is brought to you by Ouse Energy.
Rory Stewart· Host0:52
Energy policy rarely stays in Westminster for long. Usually arrives with a bill. And from the first of April, seventy-five percent of renewables obligation costs will come off electricity bills and move into general taxation.
Alastair Campbell· Host1:07
So if bills are meant to fall from April, why would anyone bother switching?
Rory Stewart· Host1:11
Because policy sets the floor. The saving itself is automatic. What suppliers offer beyond that isn't, and that's where real competition operates.
Alastair Campbell· Host1:21
Ouse goes beyond the mandated saving. Customers who switch save around an additional two hundred pounds on average. In the Ouse Energy app, you