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Joe Egerton: Is the Mandelson affair really comparable to the Profumo affair? | Conservative Home
We can learn indeed something from how Macmillan survived the Profumo affair by setting up a process that was pretty certain to clear him. No doubt is left that Sir Keir Starmer lacks the political sk...
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We must not forget that she is MP for W*g*n. I rapidly learned as Conservative candidate for Leigh that W*g*n is irredeemable. Andy Burnham might feel unable actually to say so but I am sure he would agree privately that we cannot expect anything good from W*g*n.
February 12, 2026 at 2:49 AM
We must not forget that she is MP for W*g*n. I rapidly learned as Conservative candidate for Leigh that W*g*n is irredeemable. Andy Burnham might feel unable actually to say so but I am sure he would agree privately that we cannot expect anything good from W*g*n.
Without Macmillan and Marples as ministers and Churchill and Butler backing them there would not have been 300,000 houses built a year. Housing as Angela Rayner also showed is a matter of drive and competence. Not left or right. Just focus, determination and competence. I.e. personalities.
February 12, 2026 at 2:42 AM
Without Macmillan and Marples as ministers and Churchill and Butler backing them there would not have been 300,000 houses built a year. Housing as Angela Rayner also showed is a matter of drive and competence. Not left or right. Just focus, determination and competence. I.e. personalities.
Membership of the European Economic Community was opposed by Gaitskell and in 1972 Wilson and in 1983 Foot. Macmillan applied and Heath succeeded. Thatcher pushed single market. Major pushed Maastricht through Commons with Labour voting against. Cameron backed Remain while Corbyn????
February 12, 2026 at 2:37 AM
Membership of the European Economic Community was opposed by Gaitskell and in 1972 Wilson and in 1983 Foot. Macmillan applied and Heath succeeded. Thatcher pushed single market. Major pushed Maastricht through Commons with Labour voting against. Cameron backed Remain while Corbyn????
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Joe Egerton: Is the Mandelson affair really comparable to the Profumo affair? | Conservative Home
We can learn indeed something from how Macmillan survived the Profumo affair by setting up a process that was pretty certain to clear him. No doubt is left that Sir Keir Starmer lacks the political sk...
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February 11, 2026 at 9:07 PM
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Absolutely. Plenty of examples of govts making things happen even if many don't like them. Attlee on the British bomb. Macmillan on houses actually being built. Heath taking us into EC. Callaghan and Healey post IMF. Thatcher breaking the NUM. Blair on Iraq. All took decisions and acted.
February 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Absolutely. Plenty of examples of govts making things happen even if many don't like them. Attlee on the British bomb. Macmillan on houses actually being built. Heath taking us into EC. Callaghan and Healey post IMF. Thatcher breaking the NUM. Blair on Iraq. All took decisions and acted.
All very well but what influence did Mandelson/Global Counsel and others in the political-banking network have over Rachel Reeves' policy of reining in the Financial Ombudsman Service, hugely valuable to retail banks and detrimental to consumers? Stable doors after horse has bolted perhaps?
February 6, 2026 at 1:54 PM
All very well but what influence did Mandelson/Global Counsel and others in the political-banking network have over Rachel Reeves' policy of reining in the Financial Ombudsman Service, hugely valuable to retail banks and detrimental to consumers? Stable doors after horse has bolted perhaps?
If as Starmer says Mandelson betrayed Britain is the proposed Bill to remove his title not really a Bill of Attainder? Should it not contain punishment of Mandelson - if not execution at least confiscation of his possessions? Henry VIII had Thomas Cromwell's home stripped of all valuables.
February 4, 2026 at 12:42 PM
If as Starmer says Mandelson betrayed Britain is the proposed Bill to remove his title not really a Bill of Attainder? Should it not contain punishment of Mandelson - if not execution at least confiscation of his possessions? Henry VIII had Thomas Cromwell's home stripped of all valuables.
Thatcher really did fear she might fall. In those pre-social media days Westland dominated the print media, BBC and ITV news channels. Not only did Kinnock fluff questions to Thatcher he put down a No Confidence motion that united the Conservatives. Today's motion is a masterstroke by Badenoch
February 4, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Thatcher really did fear she might fall. In those pre-social media days Westland dominated the print media, BBC and ITV news channels. Not only did Kinnock fluff questions to Thatcher he put down a No Confidence motion that united the Conservatives. Today's motion is a masterstroke by Badenoch
Macmillan's diary records Wilson's comment to the Cabinet Secretary after reading Denning "Not much in it" - adding "Not much in it for him, I think he meant"
February 4, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Macmillan's diary records Wilson's comment to the Cabinet Secretary after reading Denning "Not much in it" - adding "Not much in it for him, I think he meant"
When Profumo scandal broke in 1963 Macmillan appointed Lord Denning a senior judge since 1948 and Master of the Rolls to conduct an inquiry. Denning was a very safe choice and Wilson was disappointed at the Report. Starmer should have done the same. Another example of poor political judgment.
February 4, 2026 at 12:24 PM
When Profumo scandal broke in 1963 Macmillan appointed Lord Denning a senior judge since 1948 and Master of the Rolls to conduct an inquiry. Denning was a very safe choice and Wilson was disappointed at the Report. Starmer should have done the same. Another example of poor political judgment.
Reposted
Staggering, but this is true.
Badenoch very much more effective than Kinnock was in attacking Thatcher on Westland. Devastating.
February 4, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Staggering, but this is true.
Badenoch very much more effective than Kinnock was in attacking Thatcher on Westland. Devastating.
February 4, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Badenoch very much more effective than Kinnock was in attacking Thatcher on Westland. Devastating.
Cicero was also a ruthless politician. If this is from his in Catalinam then it is worth noting that an Oxford essay question "Was there a conspiracy of Cataline?"
February 3, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Cicero was also a ruthless politician. If this is from his in Catalinam then it is worth noting that an Oxford essay question "Was there a conspiracy of Cataline?"
Henry VIII's Act of Attainder against Thomas Cromwell passed rapidly - and provided for his execution. This was in fact done by beheading but there were other possibilities, hanging drawing and quartering or burning, which WS Gilbert's Mikado would have described as "humorous".
February 3, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Henry VIII's Act of Attainder against Thomas Cromwell passed rapidly - and provided for his execution. This was in fact done by beheading but there were other possibilities, hanging drawing and quartering or burning, which WS Gilbert's Mikado would have described as "humorous".
Perhaps something on the impact of Stalin's purges on the ability of the Red Army to resist Barbarossa in 1940? Although recall Macmillan on the Ayatolla's purge when Iran proved effective against Iraq: "Iran had an unfair advantage. They had shot their generals before the war began."
January 26, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Perhaps something on the impact of Stalin's purges on the ability of the Red Army to resist Barbarossa in 1940? Although recall Macmillan on the Ayatolla's purge when Iran proved effective against Iraq: "Iran had an unfair advantage. They had shot their generals before the war began."
Although Isidore's Etymologiae preserves fragments of works otherwise lost for ever it also led to losses when it was thought he had captured everything important so works of ancient authors need not be kept. Francisco Suarez works were similarly regarded leading to some losses of scholastic texts.
January 24, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Although Isidore's Etymologiae preserves fragments of works otherwise lost for ever it also led to losses when it was thought he had captured everything important so works of ancient authors need not be kept. Francisco Suarez works were similarly regarded leading to some losses of scholastic texts.
In 1914 the King, Albert I, earned widespread admiration for refusing to agree to German violation of its neutrality and personally leading the subsequent resistance of les braves Belges.
January 20, 2026 at 9:06 PM
In 1914 the King, Albert I, earned widespread admiration for refusing to agree to German violation of its neutrality and personally leading the subsequent resistance of les braves Belges.
3. What is needed is a credible policy with our allies collectively to make the risks of aggression in the Baltics and High North unattractive, fully arm Ukraine, defend European airspace and deter any use of nuclear weapons. It is surely possible to do the equivalent of what Chamberlain did.
January 19, 2026 at 5:12 PM
3. What is needed is a credible policy with our allies collectively to make the risks of aggression in the Baltics and High North unattractive, fully arm Ukraine, defend European airspace and deter any use of nuclear weapons. It is surely possible to do the equivalent of what Chamberlain did.
2. the development of heavy bombers, radar, aircraft carriers without which we would not have survived until the end of 1941. The need is to get equipment and men to carry out defence tasks not as Stephen Bush points out just boost spending as a share of GDP.../3
January 19, 2026 at 5:05 PM
2. the development of heavy bombers, radar, aircraft carriers without which we would not have survived until the end of 1941. The need is to get equipment and men to carry out defence tasks not as Stephen Bush points out just boost spending as a share of GDP.../3
It is unclear when in the late 1930s public opinion shifted towards supporting war. Almost certainly not until.well after Munich (1938). But the much maligned Chamberlain had as Chancellor and then PM secured funding for the KGV battleships, destroyer flotillas, the Spitfire and Hurricane, ../2
January 19, 2026 at 4:59 PM
It is unclear when in the late 1930s public opinion shifted towards supporting war. Almost certainly not until.well after Munich (1938). But the much maligned Chamberlain had as Chancellor and then PM secured funding for the KGV battleships, destroyer flotillas, the Spitfire and Hurricane, ../2
Examples of this working: the decision to build oil fuelled 15 inch gun fast battleships while guns still undeveloped gave Navy decisive lead after 1916. Decision to build carriers.and Spitfires before WW2. All driven by need to see off German threat.
January 19, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Examples of this working: the decision to build oil fuelled 15 inch gun fast battleships while guns still undeveloped gave Navy decisive lead after 1916. Decision to build carriers.and Spitfires before WW2. All driven by need to see off German threat.
4. The 14th Earl of Derby served in Grey's Whig government from 1830 to 1833 and Peel Second govt from 1841 to 1845 and was later to be three times Conservative Prime Minister.
And what is one to make of Joseph Chamberlain?
And what is one to make of Joseph Chamberlain?
January 18, 2026 at 2:07 PM
4. The 14th Earl of Derby served in Grey's Whig government from 1830 to 1833 and Peel Second govt from 1841 to 1845 and was later to be three times Conservative Prime Minister.
And what is one to make of Joseph Chamberlain?
And what is one to make of Joseph Chamberlain?
3. Gladstone started as a Conservative/Tory under Peel and became leader of the Liberal Party and 4 times PM. In 1852, after he had brought about the defeat of Disraeli's budget while still a Conservative (he was nearly literally defenestrated from the Carlton Club) he became Chancellor .../3
January 18, 2026 at 2:01 PM
3. Gladstone started as a Conservative/Tory under Peel and became leader of the Liberal Party and 4 times PM. In 1852, after he had brought about the defeat of Disraeli's budget while still a Conservative (he was nearly literally defenestrated from the Carlton Club) he became Chancellor .../3
2. as Chancellor of Exchequer under Chamberlain (1937 -40) before being Lord Chancellor under Churchill (40-45). How does one categorise Simon? There are plenty of interesting examples from the period 1832 to 1900..../3
January 18, 2026 at 1:57 PM
2. as Chancellor of Exchequer under Chamberlain (1937 -40) before being Lord Chancellor under Churchill (40-45). How does one categorise Simon? There are plenty of interesting examples from the period 1832 to 1900..../3
Surely one needs to consider re-alignment of parties. John Simon as a Liberal served under Asquith as a law officer and from May 1915 to Jan 2016 as Home Sec. As a National Liberal he returned to office as Foreign Sec under Macdonald in 1931, served under Baldwin as Home Sec 35-37 and .../
January 18, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Surely one needs to consider re-alignment of parties. John Simon as a Liberal served under Asquith as a law officer and from May 1915 to Jan 2016 as Home Sec. As a National Liberal he returned to office as Foreign Sec under Macdonald in 1931, served under Baldwin as Home Sec 35-37 and .../