Mandelson and McSweeney: a partnership forged on winning and crushing the Labour left

Like many Labour stories, Peter Mandelson’s and Morgan McSweeney’s both start at Lambeth council.Mandelson was in his mid-20s. It was 1979, and he was a new councillor under the leadership of “Red” Ted Knight. He came to despise the local party, describing the Lambeth Labour party’s leadership as “contributing very little to the economic development of south London, instead politicising everything, attacking the police and the Tory government, and making the council go broke.”Lambeth council was one of New Labour’s success stories, a successful recapture of local politics from the left

Starmer tells MPs to ‘fight together’ before critical day for his premiership

Keir Starmer has told Labour MPs to “stick together and fight together” as ministers launched a massive operation to shore up his fragile position before a critical day for his premiership.The prime minister faces the double threat of a standards investigation into his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US and potentially damaging testimony from Morgan McSweeney, his former chief of staff.Allies including Richard Hermer, the attorney general, and Jenny Chapman, a Foreign Office minister, were among those who rang round Labour MPs before Tuesday’s Commons vote on whether to refer him to parliament’s privileges committee.Senior Labour figures including Gordon Brown and former cabinet ministers Alan Johnson and David Blunkett called for restraint from backbenchers, dismissing the vote as a political stunt designed to destabilise the party before the May elections.The Guardian understands that Labour MPs will be whipped to vote against the Conservative motion to refer Starmer to the committee

Lights. Camera. Lindsay! Speaker’s show lands Starmer with yet another headache | John Crace

What the hell has Keir Starmer done to upset the speaker? Was it that row they had after prime minister’s questions a few weeks back, when Keir appeared to have taken objection to Lindsay Hoyle’s ad libbed remarks about not being responsible for Starmer not answering any of the questions? Has Hoyle finally had enough of the government announcing policy decisions in press conferences and media briefings, rather than in statements to the House of Commons?Or is Lindsay just a bit bored? Perhaps he has decided to liven things up a bit in the dog days of the current parliament. Go out with a bang. Place himself centre stage. Lights. Camera

Rachel Reeves considering rent freeze to limit Iran war fallout

Rachel Reeves is considering imposing a one-year rent freeze on private sector homes amid growing alarm in government about the impact of the Iran war on voters’ budgets.Landlords in England would be banned from raising rents for a limited period of time under the proposals, which are being debated within government as part of a major cost of living package to be launched in the coming weeks.The measure would be a significant reversal from the chancellor, who has resisted including rent controls in the government’s renters’ rights reforms, which come into force on Friday.But sources informed of the government discussions say ministers are now sufficiently worried about what the conflict in Iran will mean for mortgages and household budgets that they are willing to consider exceptional measures.With Labour braced for heavy losses at the local elections, Keir Starmer looking vulnerable as prime minister and economists predicting a surge in inflation, ministers are looking for immediate ways to ease the cost of living for voters

What might McSweeney and Barton reveal about Mandelson vetting scandal?

The evidence of two ex-officials on Tuesday morning will be a key moment in the growing crisis around Peter Mandelson’s vetting for US ambassador that threatens to bring down Keir Starmer’s premiership.The prime minister will later face a crucial vote on a parliamentary inquiry into whether he misled MPs when claiming “full due process” had been followed.Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s former chief of staff, and Philip Barton, who was the top official in the Foreign Office (FCDO), have been called by the foreign affairs committee after the Guardian’s revelation that Mandelson was given security clearance despite vetting officials recommending it be denied.Their testimonies will come after an explosive parliamentary session last week. Starmer told the Commons last Monday that he and other ministers had not been told Mandelson had failed the “developed vetting” process carried out by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV)

Hannah Spencer riles fellow MPs with attack on parliament’s drinking culture

When Hannah Spencer spoke of her shock that in Westminster “you can smell the alcohol when people are in between votes”, she may not have expected such a lively response.The Green party MP, who won the Gorton and Denton byelection in February, made the comments in an interview with the Joe website, saying she was “really uneasy” about the drinking culture in parliament.She added that there had been cases of “questionable and dangerous behaviour” by staff and potentially some MPs because of the “unprofessional” culture of drinking.After Spencer’s interview was published, a social media storm in a pint glass ensued, with some other parliamentarians quick to criticise her comments. Nigel Farage, who is often seen with a pint in his hand, was one of the first to jump in