𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Slowly but surely Keir Starmer’s political corpse edges closer to its final resting place. His failings over the sordid Peter Mandelson scandal have ensured his time as Labour leader is as good as dead and buried.

Sir Olly Robbins, the civil servant who joined Starmer’s graveyard of fall-guys last week, returned to haunt the Prime Minister today. With the air of an undertaker he delivered one of the most brutal demolition jobs in modern Westminster history.

Displaying unflappable politeness, professionalism and seriousness, Sir Olly eviscerated the PM’s version of events surrounding the appointment of the shamed Peer. Less than 24 hours earlier Sir Keir had accused the former Brexit bogeyman of orchestrating a “deliberate” cover-up over the ex-US ambassador’s failed vetting.

The Foreign Office chief was sacked for the “unforgivable” crime of overruling the advice of the security services to hand Mandelson his clearance, he said. But a day is a long time in politics. Sir Olly began his devastatingly methodical takedown shortly after 9am on Tuesday morning in parliament’s Boothroyd Room.

The bespectacled ex-mandarin said Downing Street took a “dismissive approach” to Mandelson’s vetting while the Cabinet Office originally did not think that any vetting “at all” was required. And he coldly dished out another ruthless blow, insisting Starmer’s private office applied “pressure” on his team to fast-track the appointment in time for Donald Trump’s inauguration.

His coup-de-grace when he announced that No10 had tried to appoint Sir Keir’s then comms chief Matthew Doyle into a top diplomatic posting.

Sir Olly claimed he was even told to keep this process secret from the then Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Doyle, who has since denied Robbins’ claims, would later be made a peer before having to resign the Labour whip over his own relationship with a convicted paedophile.

All this came after Ed Miliband had torched the Prime Minister during a series of morning broadcast interviews, saying he “stayed well clear” of Mandelson when he was Labour leader.

How does Starmer respond to all of this, it is a saga that will run and run? He was in hiding as Kemi Badenoch led another brutal Commons assault over the scandal this afternoon while backing from his Cabinet has gone awol. Labour MPs seem in no mood to launch a leadership challenge right now, especially before a set of tough local elections in just a fortnight’s time.

But that could all change after May 7.