𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Kemi Badenoch appears set to humiliate Keir Starmer today, as she forces him to publish Peter Mandelson’s vetting advice against his will. The Tory leader has chosen to use today’s opposition day debate to lay down a ‘humble motion’, an arcane and ancient parliamentary procedure that can compel the government to publish internal and classified documents.

The Tories hope that by forcing the government to publish the document, it will reveal whether Lord Mandelson’s true relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was flagged to the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney before his appointment. If it were, it would engulf the Prime Minister in his biggest scandal yet, and could lead to senior resignations. The Conservatives have said the last few days’ news about Lord Mandelson has been “increasingly alarming”, with evidence appearing to show he had forwarded internal government emails to the billionaire paedophile while serving as Gordon Brown’s de facto deputy Prime Minister.

Keir Starmer previously assured MPs that “full due process was followed” regarding his appointment, yet recently senior ministers appeared to blame a ‘failed’ vetting process for senior jobs inherited by Labour from the Tories.

Today’s Humble Address, a technique only used a handful of times since the mid-19th century, will force the government to publish the advice.

It will demand the publication of:

Kemi Badenoch, who will lead the crunch debate, will say: “Today Labour MPs have a clear choice. Either they can support our efforts to reveal the truth about how and why Peter Mandelson was appointed Ambassador to Washington despite his known links to the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein; or they can help Keir Starmer and his Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney dodge scrutiny over this sordid affair.

“This cover up has gone on too long, which is why the Conservatives are bringing a Humble Address before Parliament to demand the publication of all relevant information about Mandelson’s appointment and why the proper vetting never happened.

“I hope MPs of all parties, and especially those in Labour, will join us in fighting for the truth, for full justice for Epstein’s victims, and for openness and honesty with the British people. If the Prime Minister had a backbone, he’d allow his MPs to vote with their conscience and put their country before their party.”

It’s believed some Labour MPs are set to rebel and vote for the motion, while Nigel Farage said his MPs will also support the ‘rare good Tory idea’.

Humble Addresses have only been used half a dozen times in the last few decades, after being revived in 2017 by Speaker John Bercow to force the government to publish Brexit planning documents.