Steerpike

Can Lord Mandelson cling on as Our Man in Washington? That is the question all of Westminster is asking this morning. The British ambassador to the United states did a grovelling interview with the Sun's Harry Cole today in which he admitted that he had continued his association with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein ‘far longer than I should have done.’ It comes after a congressional investigation discovered that the Labour peer had referred to Epstein as his 'best pal' in a birthday message he wrote for the convicted sex offender in 2003. What did Mandy tell Starmer about his relationship with Epstein before being appointed Ambassador? Mandelson told Cole there are further email exchanges between himself and Epstein that 'we know are going to surface'.

It's all change in Sir Keir Starmer's government. After his former deputy Angela Rayner resigned from both her government and party positions on Friday following an ethics probe into her tax affairs, the Prime Minister reshuffled his cabinet and his junior ministers. Those weren't the only changes Starmer made, however – new appointments to the PM's team at the start of last week saw Darren Jones MP move from the Treasury to No. 10. And even before that, the Prime Minister recruited another strategist in a bid to turn his government's fortunes around after an, um, difficult first year in office. But it wasn't a match made in heaven, with new recruit Tom Kibasi (who helped Starmer win his 2020 leadership campaign) quitting the job after just two weeks in post.

It is a plot line worthy of a Sopranos episode. A newly-elected Prime Minister, flushed with electoral success, triumphantly sacks his onetime rival – only to discover, a year later, that she is now in pole position to become his new deputy. That's right folks, Emily Thornberry – the gin-loving, flag-bashing Islington Dame – has returned to haunt Keir Starmer once more. Trebles all round! With Angela Rayner gone, the question of who succeeds her as deputy leader is exercising much of the Labour party. Early opinion is that it has to be a woman and preferably one who can provide a bit of a foil to Starmer. Luckily, there is no shortage of disgruntled, displaced and dissatisfied wimmin who fit the bill.

In Tory world, it is a year for big anniversaries. One hundred years ago, Margaret Thatcher was born; fifty years after that, she won the Conservative leadership. To mark the occasion, various shindigs are planned, with the party conference next month expected to pay tribute to the Iron Lady's legacy. A week after that there is a gala dinner for the eponymous centre, named in her honour. Heading up the guests alongside the likes of Julian Fellowes, 'Beefy' Botham and Joan Collins is none other than Sir Mark Thatcher, son of Margaret and Denis. It is the first time he has given a public speech about his mother's life and legacy, twelve years after her passing.

Senior Reform figure Zia Yusuf has been on quite the journey within the party. The businessman first came to prominence as party chairman after taking over from now-deputy Richard Tice MP, promising to professionalise the growing party. Then, three months ago to the day, Yusuf shocked party colleagues and members by announcing his resignation from the role, posting on X that: ‘I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.’ He returned less than 48 hours later, however, to take on an Elon Musk-style role as Reform UK's Head of DOGE. And now, during Nigel Farage's address to the conference, Yusuf has been announced as the party's Head of Policy. Alright for some!

On the eve of Reform’s annual conference, the party has dropped another bombshell. Former Tory culture secretary Nadine Dorries has defected to Reform UK – a move Nigel Farage has gushed he is ‘absolutely delighted’ about. In an explosive interview with the Daily Mail, Dorries has declared ‘the Tory party is dead’ – and advised party members to ‘now think the unthinkable and look to the future’.  Dorries’ defection follows the ex-cabinet minister’s three decades as a Conservative party member. As reported by the Mail, her talks with Farage did not involve a guaranteed place in a Reform government. Yet while the once-vociferous Boris Johnson ally is not currently a sitting MP, Dorries has not ruled out a return to the Commons.

It is a tough time for the Tories right now. Nigel Farage's grinning face appears to be everywhere, as the Conservatives desperately try to find fresh relevance in opposition. One idea that some senior figures within Conservative Campaign Headquarters have alighted upon in recent months is creating a new 'digital army'. The hope is that ever-online true-blue types will function in the same way that Reform's internet supporters do for Farage: amplifying the party's message and posting support for leader Kemi Badenoch. This evening saw the last salvo in this e-initiative. An email went out to the Tories' young guns, urging them to volunteer for instruction in the nation's capital.

Summer recess has only just ended but the government has not enjoyed a relaxed return to Westminster. After Reform UK controlled the narrative over the holidays, with its 'lawless Britain' campaign and immigration announcement last week, Labour is struggling to take back control of the agenda. On Monday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper made a statement to the Commons in which she laid out the government's plan to overhaul the asylum system. Now, she has turned to the issue of flag flying. The Raise the Colours campaign has seen parts of England fly St George's and Union flags, with a group called the Weoley Warriors claiming responsibility for showing 'the country how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements'.

As if it hadn't experienced enough splits over the last few weeks, it transpires that Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's new party is divided over its policy on trans issues. 'Your Party' – not its official name, according to a fuming Sultana – is set to have six MPs, with four pro-Gaza independents to join the group. But while Sultana has insisted she will 'always' speak in support of trans people, one of these, Adnan Hussain MP, stated last week that trans women are 'not biologically women'. Talk about trouble in paradise, eh? Hussain is currently a member of the Independent Alliance of MPs, alongside Corbyn and Sultana. Once the new group holds its first conference this autumn, the Alliance will join the party.

If there are two things Angela Rayner can’t stand, it’s Tories (previously labelled scum) and tax avoiders. So Tories avoiding tax, that really gets her riled up. Back in 2017, Rayner tweeted: '@jeremycorbyn correct to raise tax dodging issue, the public are furious with those who get away with tax avoidance while they pay! #pmqs' Similarly, in the same year, Rayner tweeted: HMRC staff cut as corporate/super rich tax dodgers not challenged, PM does not have the answers, tax avoidance damaging our country #pmqs  These tweets are now coming under scrutiny in light of today’s claims that Rayner has 'dodged' tax herself.