"You can't escape the irony. Starmer has always prided himself on being Mr Rules. It's how he got elected. He might be a bit dull and lack charisma, but you can count on him to be reliable. To play by the rules. And now he has been undone by having given the prime Washington job to a man who was the epitome of Mr No Rules."
"The sacking of Mandelson last September was necessary but far too little. Mandy was a binary choice. No redemption on offer. No apologies, or promises to cut the cost of living in the coming year, would do. Starmer had been weighed in the balance by his own party and found wanting. Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin. There was a look of despair in Starmer's eyes as he made his way to the podium at the Horntye Park sports club in Hastings."
Keir Starmer's authority within Labour has collapsed following the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. Starmer's reputation for rule-following contrasts with Mandelson's image as a rule-breaker. Initial congratulations from cabinet members and some Tories did not prevent mounting anger. The delayed dismissal of Mandelson in September was judged insufficient by many party members. The episode was perceived as a binary betrayal with no redemption available through apologies or policy pledges. Attempts to relaunch the premiership and promote community initiatives were overshadowed by the controversy, and public appearances generated sympathetic but fatalistic responses from supporters.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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