Crace

Mientras Carlos y Camila estaban bajo una 'three-line whip', los diputados observaron la insoportable incomodidad de los funcionarios públicos. No es frecuente ver a altos funcionarios pululando en libertad. Se les mantiene alejados de la mirada pública, sentados tras un escritorio intentando persuadir a sus ministros de no hacer algo demasiado catastrófico para su departamento gubernamental. Por qué exactamente se les nombra caballeros o damas solo por hacer su trabajo es uno de los misterios de la vida. El resto tenemos que conformarnos con un correo electrónico ocasional del jefe. Pero la semana pasada, dos altos funcionarios se vieron obligados, a regañadientes, a testificar sobre la decisión de Keir Starmer de nombrar a Peter Mandelson embajador en Estados Unidos ante el comité selecto de asuntos exteriores, y ha sido muy instructivo. Sobre todo, para ver cuánto les desagrada cualquier atención adicional del público. Su obvia incomodidad al ser obligados a rendir cuentas era insoportable de ver. Seguir leyendo...

Every PM hopes to emerge having said nothing that makes the news, and with Iran centre-stage Keir played a blinderWhat a difference a week makes. At last week’s prime minister’s questions, Keir Starmer tried to persuade us that he knew less than he did. His memory was so bad that he could barely remember who Peter Mandelson was, let alone why he had appointed him as ambassador to the US. Fast forward to Monday’s appearance before the liaison committee, the supergroup of select committee chairs, and Keir was desperate to convince us he knew more than he did. He had the inside track on Iran. He was in control. He also wasn’t altogether convincing.Mind you, it’s hard not to feel some sympathy with Starmer. The whole point of being prime minister is that you’re expected to know more than the rest of us. And most of the time you do. State secrets are your life blood. Only just occasionally the veil slips. Having threatened to obliterate Tehran’s power plants just days earlier, on Monday morning Donald Trump announced on Truth Social – along with a strange witch reference – that he was going to delay the bombardment for five days as constructive talks with the Iranian regime were taking place. Continue reading...