While Bad Al was visiting Ukraine when he was handed “an official EU folder for my work to get the UK back in” from EU ambassador Katarina Mathernova. What on earth are those trainers…
Confidential government emails obtained by Guido reveal that Starmer’s Chagos negotiator Jonathan Powell – now National Security Adviser – sought to obtain classified information relevant to the issue before he was announced in the role – and was shown at least some of that classified material in person. He corresponded about the material from a private, non-government email address. After requesting and seeing the classified documents in person, Powell subsequently travelled to China around a month later under the guise of his consultancy Inter Mediate…
On August 29th 2024 – just weeks after Labour won the general election – Powell emailed from his private consultancy email address to FCDO civil servants requesting “a low classification version” of a meeting minute between Starmer and the then Foreign Secretary David Lammy with the Mauritian Prime Minister. The email confirms he had already seen the classified document, presumably in a secure room at FCDO: “I read it when I came in but would like to see it again”. He suggests the document is probably too sensitive “for sending by Signal or WhatsApp” – so, what did it show?
Foreign Office officials, in a reply, refuse to send the minute remotely to Powell and instead offer “to print you a copy to read on arrival” – along with material on the financing of the deal. That “arrival” was in Port Louis – Powell clearly went straight there after being engaged by Starmer on the Chagos file…
The reply highlights the fact that Powell was not using “FCDO IT” – but presumably personal devices. Risky…
What business did Powell transact in this trip to Port Louis? Was the Chagos deal cooked up here, weeks before Parliament or the public heard anything of the matter? Was Powell working for the government or did he still have his Inter Mediate hat on?
Powell’s announcement as Starmer’s Chagos envoy was not made until 6 September. It is not clear what his vetting status was at the point at which he was shown classified documents. Why was he in receipt of secret material before Parliament and the public knew of his role?
Co-conspirators can click on the below screenshots to enlarge the images:
As February comes to an end No10 is shoring up plans for a reshuffle to keep Starmer in power for as long as possible. Guido reported extensively on these intentions back at the beginning of the month…
It is still early doors because Gorton & Denton and the May elections have not yet taken place. The extent of the hit Starmer takes from those will decide the outcome of whatever reshuffle efforts – or indeed lead to a Labour regicide…
After internally discussing whether to sack Wes Streeting as a one-off three weeks ago Downing Street sources say reshuffle plans include a removal of the ambitious leadership contender, a “disloyal and disruptive” minister who has to be “tackled” – a senior Labour source adds: “We need someone at Health who isn’t thinking about personal ambition.”
There is no current plan for ministerial moves prior to May or just after Gorton & Denton. If Starmer is strong enough No10 staff plan to move left in terms of appointments but avoid giving the soft left a go at the Treasury. That means retaining Reeves or replacing her with compromise candidate to satisfy left-wing bloodlust. Markets, markets, markets…
A Downing Street source said the shape of a reshuffle “depends on how febrile it is after May.” A Labour wipeout would leave Starmer with little leverage…
Much also depends on new Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo, who survived a blob-led campaign against her appointment. Downing Street now regards her as safe. As Guido has tracked across many months it is the Cabinet Office which is failing on numerous cylinders. The clock is ticking to fix that one…
The BBC’s Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips has apologised to all staff after a racial slur involuntarily shouted by a Tourette’s campaigner was not censored from the BBC’s BAFTA Awards broadcast. Phillips said this afternoon:
“I’m so sorry that a racial slur was not edited out of our broadcast. We understand how distressing this was. Award attendees were pre-warned about the possibility of involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette Syndrome at the start of the show, and Alan Cumming addressed it during the broadcast. Of course, this doesn’t lessen the impact and upset. We would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast. We take full responsibility for what happened… Again, I am so very sorry for the distress caused.”
She adds that a second slur was caught in the edit, but one nonetheless aired in error. BBC News “understands” that the BBC producers responsible for managing the output simply didn’t hear it. Days since the BBC had to report on itself: zero…
Guido’s Adam Cherry headed up to Gorton and Denton ahead of this Thursday’s by-election. What do voters really think? Watch on YouTube to find out…
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Asked about warnings of a civil war in an interview with The House, Reform MP Danny Kruger said:
“Yeah. The only chance of unity for our country is Reform. If we don’t win, or if we win and then make a mess of it, I do fear for our country.”
