 |
| EPA |
Starmer to step down as Prime Minister; Andy Burnham sworn in as MP, likely to become next Labour leader and PM. {The Guardian 22 June}
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/22/keir-starmer-resigns-as-prime-minister
Sir Keir Starmer had more than his share of political problems on his plate, but make no mistake: the controversy over the appointment of the former Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the former United States was his undoing.
One of the world’s most powerful men — perhaps, in the void left by America in the age of Trump, the de facto leader of the free world — has been brought down by the Epstein fallout. Meanwhile, Trump continues to sit in office, despite everybody knowing that he and Epstein were best friends prior to their falling out, yet there remains virtual silence from the American people. Whether it is being a likely paedophile, or fashioning a coup attempt, or betraying our allies in the world, or implementing nation-killing economic policies, or starting unwinnable wars, Americans just do not care when it comes to this man; they will never forsake him. Our country hath been reduced to a glorified personality cult.
I know not whether Sir Keir deserved such a harsh fate, for from where I am sitting — in the aforementioned Trumpistan — he seemed quite a competent and capable leader; certainly a step up from his two immediate predecessors of the dying Conservative Party. Perhaps he really did not fully consider just how deeply tied Mandelson was to Jeffrey Epstein. I certainly cannot believe, had he full understanding of the Mandelson-Epstein relationship, that he would deliberately risk political capital by appointing someone with so many skeletons in the cupboard to such an important diplomatic post. In the UK, there are still consequences for poor decision making, and there are no Donald Trumps being held above the law and worshipped as a god by an embarrassingly large percentage of society.
Ask Britons about anything, of course, and they shall say the sky is falling most every time. From afar, I would suggest otherwise: the United Kingdom has some very serious and pressing issues, but at least its political leaders are still held accountable.
On some levels, I would say that this is a sign of a reasonably healthy, functioning democratic society. And I cannot help but be a little envious of my ancestral homeland for that. Life is not much fun on this side of the Atlantic these days, and getting worse by the day.
🪐💔 #QueSeraSera 𓅨 🕈
