The BBC has published an investigation debunking Zack Polanski’s titillating claim to have apologised after he attempted to grow a Sun reporter’s breasts via hypnosis in 2013. In fact, the BBC has found Polanski stood by the claims…
The Greens claimed Polanski went on the BBC to apologise and claim the Sun misrepresented him the day after the original hypnosis piece came out. The BBC dug into its archives and couldn’t find that particular instance…
What it could cleave from the archives was a BBC Radio Humberside appearance six days later in which he roundly backed the asset treatment method:
“Actually increasingly more and more as I work with people, there’s starting to become anecdotal evidence, at least, of a growth in breast size… the evidence is growing… I believe that it can happen in theory and I think it’s definitely worth investing the time of evidence and research into hypnosis generally.”
No doubt Polanski will now be known as a bizarre grifter to voters all over the globes…
Announced today, Second Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office Clara Swinson will move to the DoJ to be Second Permanent Secretary under Lammy. A horizontal move like that often says something in Whitehall…
Swinson was not a popular figure among some government sources in the Cabinet Office, who view her as a blocker along with Darren Jones, Permanent Secretary Catherine Little, and now ex-Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald. A clear out ongoing…
One of Antonia Romeo’s main jobs as the new Cabinet Secretary will be to fix the failing Cabinet Office, which runs a large part of government. No one has managed it so far…
A release from the Cabinet Office just now:
- “The Mandelson case has also shown more needs to be done and raised further questions about how the direct ministerial appointment process, and wider operation of government, can be strengthened.”
- Government will “look again” at financial interests of ministers and senior officials, lobbying transparency, and “whether the rules on post‑employment activity are fit for purpose in preventing unfair access to, or influence within, government.”
- Ethics and Integrity Commission will review financial disclosure arrangements and lobbying rules.
- Government will review the National Security Vetting system, “including lessons learned from Peter Mandelson’s developed vetting.”
- Ruth Anderson – formerly of Hope Not Hate – will “work on standards policy and to deliver the Government’s agenda on ethical standards and constitutional affairs.”
- Lords Conduct Committee will review the Code of Conduct. Ministers “also exploring whether the Committee can tighten rules on lobbying and paid advocacy to bring the Lords in line with the Commons.”
- Head of Mission and direct appointment processes to be reviewed.
Labour is using this tame first Mandelson dump to get ahead of criticism. And tighten control over Parliament to distract from Starmer’s incredibly poor judgement…
The International Energy Agency’s 32 member countries have just agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil. The largest emergency stockpile release in history…
This follows a decision earlier in the week to wait and observe the markets. Japan said earlier that it would release oil stockpiles unilaterally whether or not the IEA signatories agreed to. The interest rate monster threatens Tokyo…
UPDATE: DESNZ has commented: The UK is contributing 13.5 million barrels. The UK currently holds 76.6 million barrels of oil stocks in total.
- Starmer was told Morgan McSweeney “discussed Peter’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein which we will go through with you.“
- Mandelson demanded a £547,201 payout when he was sacked. He got £75,000. An official quoted in the files: “Mark did very well to get this settlement down this low with minimal fuss”…
- One concern raised by vetting officials is that Mandelson suggested using Nigel Farage to help improve relations with team Trump which is “contrary to UKG policy“.
- Jonathan Powell said the process was “weirdly rushed.”
- Vetting was “not exhaustive.” What is the point of the Civil Service, just start again folks…
- Official advice to Starmer covered extensive Epstein links and noted ‘reputational risk.’ Starmer appointed him anyway.
- The due diligence report flagged that Mandelson sat on the board of Russian conglomerate Sistema – which owns a defence technology company that produced radar for Russia’s missile early warning system – until June 2017. Three years after Putin annexed Crimea…
- The report also noted Mandelson’s advocacy for closer UK-China relations: He has long called for closer engagement with China and said of US-China relations in 2018: “It is absurd to imagine putting a country of such weight in the naughty corner”…
- Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Oliver Robbins assured Labour ministers the FCDO would bury details of Mandelson’s payout.
- Mandelson’s ‘chief concern’ post-sacking, in emails to the FCDO: “My chief concern is leaving the US and arriving in the UK with the maximum dignity and minimum media intrusion which I think is to the advantage of all concerned, not least because I remain a crown/civil servant and expect to be treated as such. How is the FCDO assisting in this?” Mandelson’s gonna Mandelson…
- The key box note is here:
Read the full document here.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood introduced her speech on migration reforms at the IPPR:
“There’s no denying we meet at a difficult time for my party.”
