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The Prime Minister faced attack after attack in the Commons on Monday, yet still refused to quit |
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Tony Diver Political Editor |
Keir Starmer could not have expected a positive reception in the Commons yesterday, as he defended his role in the Mandelson vetting scandal. However, the reaction was surely worse than he feared.
Laughter, not fury, met the Prime Minister as he argued that the situation “beggars belief”, admitting that his critics would “find these facts to be incredible”.
As he insisted the fiasco was “not about” hardworking civil servants in the Foreign Office, Tory MPs shouted back their agreement. “It’s about you!” they howled.
The session became fiery at times, and two MPs – Zarah Sultana and Lee Anderson – were ejected from the Commons by Sir Lindsay Hoyle for calling Starmer a “liar”, which is not allowed by the parliamentary rulebook.
Starmer nonetheless attempted to shift the blame to Olly Robbins, the former Foreign Office permanent secretary, for the Government’s failure to disclose that Lord Mandelson had failed his security vetting in January last year.
The issue clearly has No 10 worried. A smattering of the usual suspects on the Labour benches criticising Starmer was followed by a talking-to for MPs from two of the Prime Minister’s closest allies in a private meeting last night.
Some support for Starmer came from an unexpected source in the early hours, as Donald Trump appeared to back the Prime Minister after weeks of criticising his British counterpart over the Iran war.
Trump posted on social media: “Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom acknowledged that he ‘exercised wrong judgment’ when he chose his ambassador to Washington. I agree, he was a really bad pick. Plenty of time to recover, however! President DJT.”
Today, the saga continues with Robbins’s first public appearance since the story broke. His allies insist he did nothing wrong and followed government procedures overseen by Starmer himself.
His committee appearance will be essential viewing for followers of this story, which – for the Prime Minister at least – is no laughing matter.
Starmer admits Mandelson fiasco ‘beggars belief’ ➤
Badenoch’s questions to Starmer in full – and his responses ➤ |
Europe’s greatest threat comes from Putin’s Russia, whereas Asia risks being driven to the brink by Xi’s China |
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David Blair Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator |
No global organisation is more important than the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Its job is to preserve humanity from nuclear destruction and embody the survival instinct of our species.
Yet the system designed to prevent calamity is now crumbling. Rafael Grossi, the IAEA director general, describes in his interview with The Telegraph how “important countries in Europe, in Asia minor, in the Far East” are debating whether to build nuclear weapons.
In Europe, that discussion has been triggered by the threat from Vladimir Putin’s Russia. In Asia, the peril is Xi Jinping’s China, now expanding its nuclear arsenal at breakneck speed. In both continents, the unreliability of Donald Trump’s US means that allies no longer feel safe under Washington’s nuclear umbrella. Hence the debate over whether independent nuclear arsenals are necessary.
We have not yet reached the point of no return. However, one more giant shock – perhaps Putin attacking a Nato country without any military response from the US, or Xi invading Taiwan – would change all the calculations. We are probably one great crisis away from countries taking irrevocable decisions. If so, the IAEA might be powerless to save humanity.
Continue reading ➤
Exclusive interview: World faces new nuclear arms race ➤ |
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Tim Stanley Look, matey, I know a near-dead prime minister when I see one – and I’m looking at one right now Continue reading ➤
Tom Harris Badenoch bullseye deepens Starmer’s peril Continue reading ➤
Telegraph View Sir Keir must pay for misleading Parliament Continue reading ➤ |
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Gabrielle Carrington, 29, has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm |
China imports a lot of oil, and used to get plenty of it from Venezuela and Iran. So Donald Trump’s attacks on the pair of global pariahs are, on the face of it, a major headache for Xi Jinping, the Chinese president. This, however this could be a cloud with a silver lining. Xi has been vindicated in his decade-long quest to turn China into an energy fortress. After turbo-charging his country’s domestic production of gas, oil, coal, nuclear power, wind and solar, he has helped shockproof, or Trump-proof, his country. The Iran war is a catalyst to double down. It will be done quietly, but the ramparts of Xi’s fortress are going to get even higher. Continue reading ➤ |
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Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple boss after 15 years of remarkable growth |
Fifteen years ago, Tim Cook was given the impossible task of replacing Steve Jobs as Apple’s chief executive, in a rushed handover of power just weeks before Jobs’s death, writes James Titcomb, our Technology Editor. Now it is time for the guard to change again. Last night, Apple announced that Cook would make way for John Ternus, a long-time executive and the company’s hardware boss. The question now is whether Ternus is more of a Cook or a Jobs. Last night’s announcement suggests the former. With Apple losing ground in the AI race, some have suggested change is needed. Don’t count on it. Continue reading ➤ |
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Lisa started going to Edd’s classes in 2012 when her ‘horrendous’ marriage was coming to an end |
When I started dating my personal trainer, Edd, I braced for the flirtatious cliché, writes Lisa Arteton. Even today, smitten clients still send him “before and after” photos whilst wearing beautiful lingerie. Yet, from his geeky head torch at icy boot camps, to a nervous cinema date, he shattered the gym-bro mould, proving those flirty texts are nothing to fear. Continue reading ➤ |
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Steve Rosenberg in 2026 Panorama documentary: Our Man in Moscow |
When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine four years ago and made Russia a pariah state, many of Moscow’s foreign press pack fled, fearing jail or persecution. Not so Steve Rosenberg, the BBC’s long-time Russia correspondent, who has stayed put ever since, despite being branded a “defecating squirrel” by one pro-Kremlin TV pundit. In an interview with The Telegraph, he tells how he walks the “tightrope” between reporting the news while not getting booted out, and explains the delicate art of asking Putin a question during a presidential press conference... Continue reading ➤ |
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Landlords hit with tax grabs and new regulations face a new headache. Councils are thwarting landlords’ attempts to regain control of their properties by telling tenants served with eviction orders to stay put until bailiffs arrive, costing landlords thousands in legal fees and lost rent. With the coming ban on “no-fault” evictions, the problem could only intensify. Joe Wright reports. Continue reading ➤ |
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Our writer John Arlidge in the innovative new premium economy cabin on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner of United Airlines |
For those stuck in cattle class, the flying experience has been worsening for many years. Legroom has shrunk by several inches, and seats often don’t recline, even on long-haul jets. Amenity kits have largely disappeared. Free food and drink is becoming rarer, and charges for checked luggage more common. Yet, the divide between economy and business flyers has increased. For those whose bank balances (or corporate expenses accounts) permit them to turn left, the cabins are getting bigger and better, and the perks more indulgent. Continue reading ➤ |
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Dr Amati says wholegrain doesn’t always mean high in fibre |
A staggering 96 per cent of people still don’t meet the 30g-a-day fibre target, writes nutritionist Dr Federica Amati. Even the health-conscious, who think they’re getting their daily quota, may be missing out on the nutrient, which lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer, thanks to six common mistakes. These include assuming that wholegrain means high fibre, and falling for a new trend in “fibre washing”. Continue reading ➤
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What they’re talking about in... Tehran |
A mural of Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader, in the Iranian capital |
This extract first appeared in The Telegraph’s new daily international affairs newsletter Cables.
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Akhtar Makoii |
Iran’s Shargh newspaper captures the prevailing mood in Tehran today. “Somewhere between war and peace”, with neither outcome certain.
The country’s leadership has still not committed to travelling to Pakistan for further peace talks with the US as flashpoints divide the nation.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has promised an “imminent response” to Sunday’s US attack on an Iranian cargo ship, calling it “armed piracy”.
The USS Spruance opened fire on the Touska after the vessel tried to break the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Iranian MP said this could not obstruct the bigger picture. “Despite deep distrust of America and Trump’s variable behaviour, the possibility of negotiations is not ruled out,” said Mohammad Reza Mohseni.
Reactions to his comments reveal deep scepticism. “Continuing negotiations with the Great Satan equals preparing to drink the cup of poison,” wrote one Iranian beneath the story on state media.
Another warned: “This round of negotiations is completely meaningless. 100 per cent, America and Israel will attack again – going to Islamabad just puts the lives of negotiators at risk.”
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Eje’i, the judiciary chief, insisted Iran would not retreat “even a needle’s width” from core demands.
The mood in Iran is one of uncertainty, both for the leadership and population.
“While claiming diplomacy and readiness for negotiations, the US is carrying out behaviours that do not in any way indicate seriousness in pursuing a diplomatic process,” Esmaeil Baqaei, a foreign ministry spokesman, said.
“As of now, while I am at your service, we have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard.”
Read more from our expert team of correspondents and editors around the world by signing up to Cables here. |
A dressing-downEvery weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal reader correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes...
There’s been much talk lately about theatre etiquette: audience members fixated by their phones, or choosing one of Hamlet’s soliloquies as an opportune moment to tackle a grab bag of McCoy’s. That, however, is only the start of it. Recently, Bruce Chalmers took to the Letters page to report: “We have always looked on our visits to Chichester Festival Theatre as smart occasions, and dressed accordingly. Sadly, over the past few years the dress sense of many other theatregoers has deteriorated to such an extent that we now regularly see T-shirts, jeans, shorts, Crocs and even open-toe sandals.”
Is our nation losing its sense of occasion? The candy-coloured advance of Crocs is nearly always a warning sign, after all, and Telegraph readers have noticed similar trends elsewhere.
“My wife and I recently celebrated a significant birthday by spending a couple of days at a five-star hotel in Devon,” wrote Keith Moore. “I packed a jacket and tie for evening wear, but was the only guest dressed this way in the restaurant. What a shame.”
This sounded sadly familiar to Jill Smith: “My husband and I attended a golden wedding celebration lunch last weekend. Of the 20 people at the table, my husband was the only man wearing a tie.”
Still, these things are relative, noted Dr John Doherty, who affectionately recalled his time in a nation with rather more relaxed sartorial standards: “When I moved to tropical north Queensland in the 1970s to run a hospital, I was invited to a formal dinner with the mayor, the local member of parliament and the bishop of the diocese. Anxious not to offend, I asked what the dress code was. The response was succinct: ‘No bare feet, mate’.”
Chris Goodeve-Ballard replied: “When my father first went to Australia, he was shocked that people wore shorts to dinner. When he decided to stay, however, one of his reasons was that he was able to do this – despite being an archetypal British Army officer. A distant cousin wore shorts to his funeral.” Does Britain need to smarten up, or has your wardrobe turned Antipodean? Send your responses here and the best of the bunch will feature in a future edition of this newsletter.
Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name. |
There are just 40,000 red squirrels left in England |
Red squirrels risk becoming extinct in England within the next 25 years, a government report has warned. Why is the species at risk?
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Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was PROPRIETY. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. |
Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor
P.S. I’d love to hear what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback here. |
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