Crace

Enquanto Charles e Camilla estavam sob uma convocação rigorosa, os parlamentares observaram o desconforto excruciante dos funcionários públicos. Não costumamos ver altos funcionários públicos circulando livremente por aí. Eles são mantidos longe do olhar do público, sentados atrás de uma mesa tentando persuadir seus ministros a não fazerem nada de muito catastrófico em seus departamentos governamentais. O porquê exatamente de terem sido nomeados cavaleiros ou damas apenas por cumprirem seus deveres é um dos mistérios da vida. O resto de nós tem que se contentar com um e-mail ocasional do chefe. Mas, na última semana, dois altos funcionários públicos foram forçados, a contragosto, a prestar depoimento perante o comitê selecionado de assuntos estrangeiros sobre a decisão de Keir Starmer de nomear Peter Mandelson como embaixador nos EUA — e tem sido algo muito instrutivo também. Especialmente para ver o quanto eles detestam qualquer atenção extra do público. O desconforto óbvio deles ao serem responsabilizados foi angustiante de assistir. Continue lendo...

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...