Every Labour councillor who loses their seat because of the clown car government will have a local authority gifting policy that would have stopped Freebiegate.
April 16, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Every Labour councillor who loses their seat because of the clown car government will have a local authority gifting policy that would have stopped Freebiegate.
In amongst all the trivia and nonsense about freebiegate, Labour really do need to get their political 'story' together. /1
I once said 'Remainers' are good at policy but shit at politics.
Labour might be about to test the 'shit at politics' bit to destruction.
Labour might be about to test the 'shit at politics' bit to destruction.
Liz Kendall will press ahead with £1.3bn in annual cuts to sickness benefits announced by the Tories, FT has learned
Labour will retain contentious changes to “work capability assessment” that were introduced last year by Rishi Sunak
www.ft.com/content/7888...
Labour will retain contentious changes to “work capability assessment” that were introduced last year by Rishi Sunak
www.ft.com/content/7888...
October 20, 2024 at 7:36 AM
In amongst all the trivia and nonsense about freebiegate, Labour really do need to get their political 'story' together. /1
I am a stuck record on this, but Freebiegate would not have happened if they had a modern gifting policy.
January 2, 2026 at 3:03 PM
I am a stuck record on this, but Freebiegate would not have happened if they had a modern gifting policy.
Again, from freebiegate, to Mandleson, to Doyle just a consistent theme of behaviour that would be unacceptable and, frankly, result in a disciplinary in the private sector is just normalised in parliament.
A real, persistent problem for our politics that it is so endemic and normalised.
A real, persistent problem for our politics that it is so endemic and normalised.
It gets worse: No 10 also tried to get Matthew Doyle - a close friend of Mandelson - a job working for him in DC.
Remember - Doyle was asked by PM to investigate Mandelson's responses about links to Jeffrey Epstein & concluded he was "satisfied".
A *clear* conflict of interests.
Remember - Doyle was asked by PM to investigate Mandelson's responses about links to Jeffrey Epstein & concluded he was "satisfied".
A *clear* conflict of interests.
April 21, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Again, from freebiegate, to Mandleson, to Doyle just a consistent theme of behaviour that would be unacceptable and, frankly, result in a disciplinary in the private sector is just normalised in parliament.
A real, persistent problem for our politics that it is so endemic and normalised.
A real, persistent problem for our politics that it is so endemic and normalised.
They started their time in govt badly, with Starmer's "things will get worse" speech, the corruption of freebiegate and the groundwork-less winter fuel payments announcement ending the honeymoon and going down like cold sick.
After 100 days, nearly half of Lab voters were already disappointed.
After 100 days, nearly half of Lab voters were already disappointed.
June 21, 2026 at 5:20 PM
They started their time in govt badly, with Starmer's "things will get worse" speech, the corruption of freebiegate and the groundwork-less winter fuel payments announcement ending the honeymoon and going down like cold sick.
After 100 days, nearly half of Lab voters were already disappointed.
After 100 days, nearly half of Lab voters were already disappointed.
Sentiments like this are literally how Freebiegate happened: there was huge frustration among parts of the party's donor base and some of its comms strategists that the Shadow Cabinet looked scruffy, that Keir dresses poorly, and as a way around that, the shopping trips, the free glasses, etc. etc.
Largely irrelevant but What Is He Fucking Wearing?
He's announcing government policy, not ordering five Neck Oils in a Greene King
He's announcing government policy, not ordering five Neck Oils in a Greene King
'We are clamping down on the harm caused by social media.
'Read all about it on the Nazi pogrom deepfake abuse website'
'Read all about it on the Nazi pogrom deepfake abuse website'
June 15, 2026 at 9:29 AM
Sentiments like this are literally how Freebiegate happened: there was huge frustration among parts of the party's donor base and some of its comms strategists that the Shadow Cabinet looked scruffy, that Keir dresses poorly, and as a way around that, the shopping trips, the free glasses, etc. etc.
Equally, though, I understand how, given that this suggestion was treated by Shadow Cabinet ministers as 'Deborah Mattison wants us all to get PERMS, eww'...that it ended up with Freebiegate.
June 15, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Equally, though, I understand how, given that this suggestion was treated by Shadow Cabinet ministers as 'Deborah Mattison wants us all to get PERMS, eww'...that it ended up with Freebiegate.
The reason they defended freebiegate so vociferously is because they believe they are entitled to this—it's the entire reason they're in the game.
April 25, 2026 at 9:47 PM
The reason they defended freebiegate so vociferously is because they believe they are entitled to this—it's the entire reason they're in the game.
Winter fuel + Freebiegate is what starts the decline, but worth remembering that this time last year Labour were still polling in the high 20s.
January 13, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Winter fuel + Freebiegate is what starts the decline, but worth remembering that this time last year Labour were still polling in the high 20s.
A point I've wanted to make in print for a while but hadn't got around to: 'Freebiegate' was a revealing scandal because if Labour had properly modernised in office, they would have had a modern anti-gifting policy.
Brain-dead Labour retreats to its comfort zone: campaigning
Downing Street’s bizarre war on itself is a symptom of a government whose ideas dissolve on contact with reality
www.ft.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:35 PM
A point I've wanted to make in print for a while but hadn't got around to: 'Freebiegate' was a revealing scandal because if Labour had properly modernised in office, they would have had a modern anti-gifting policy.
He lacks self reflection, quickly falling into the same traps he critiqued in others and unable to acknowledge his own complicity. Freebiegate is as visible as partygate, and yet!
He is loyal beyond reason, defending Siddiq past the point of plausibility and leaving allies in place past their time.
He is loyal beyond reason, defending Siddiq past the point of plausibility and leaving allies in place past their time.
May 8, 2026 at 7:49 PM
He lacks self reflection, quickly falling into the same traps he critiqued in others and unable to acknowledge his own complicity. Freebiegate is as visible as partygate, and yet!
He is loyal beyond reason, defending Siddiq past the point of plausibility and leaving allies in place past their time.
He is loyal beyond reason, defending Siddiq past the point of plausibility and leaving allies in place past their time.
It’s the start of the narrative, just like the Freebiegate nonsense. In 12 months time people will think this was where “the corruption (or whatever)” started 🙄🤦
October 3, 2026 at 9:19 PM
It’s the start of the narrative, just like the Freebiegate nonsense. In 12 months time people will think this was where “the corruption (or whatever)” started 🙄🤦
Freebiegate
Mandelson
Inheritance tax
Two child cap
Just an endless string of obvious blunders that the smallest "hang on" would have caught.
Mandelson
Inheritance tax
Two child cap
Just an endless string of obvious blunders that the smallest "hang on" would have caught.
February 21, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Freebiegate
Mandelson
Inheritance tax
Two child cap
Just an endless string of obvious blunders that the smallest "hang on" would have caught.
Mandelson
Inheritance tax
Two child cap
Just an endless string of obvious blunders that the smallest "hang on" would have caught.
As he basically has done the entire issue of public integrity and personal conduct. Freebiegate, Labour together sketchiness, Tulip Siddiq, etc all relevant backdrop to this stuff
February 15, 2026 at 9:21 PM
As he basically has done the entire issue of public integrity and personal conduct. Freebiegate, Labour together sketchiness, Tulip Siddiq, etc all relevant backdrop to this stuff
In the real world, Starmer is unpopular because of winter fuel, Freebiegate, and the Mandelson affair. These things really did happen, and it is not “shit journalism” to say so. And in the real world, he really does not have a set of personal priorities that MPs fear would be lost.
April 18, 2026 at 8:41 AM
In the real world, Starmer is unpopular because of winter fuel, Freebiegate, and the Mandelson affair. These things really did happen, and it is not “shit journalism” to say so. And in the real world, he really does not have a set of personal priorities that MPs fear would be lost.
They stopped having fun as soon as freebiegate happened and i just want to tell them: this should have been so much fun and you have only yourselves to blame
May 14, 2026 at 8:25 AM
They stopped having fun as soon as freebiegate happened and i just want to tell them: this should have been so much fun and you have only yourselves to blame
‘The public expected us to be squeaky clean ... now they think we’re all the same’: how freebiegate rocked Labour
‘The public expected us to be squeaky clean ... now they think we’re all the same’: how freebiegate rocked Labour
Keir Starmer’s promise of a fresh break with Tory sleaze was dented by news he’d accepted clothing and concert tickets from a Labour donor. The Guardian’s political editor assesses the longer term damage
There is an old maxim in Westminster that scandals…
www.theguardian.com
December 27, 2024 at 9:41 AM
‘The public expected us to be squeaky clean ... now they think we’re all the same’: how freebiegate rocked Labour
Building on this, a key feature of this government after freebiegate is not only not changing the rules, but failing to set standards even for their own MPs
And the really great thing is how freebiegate did not even lead to changing the rules there (or really lead to significant moderating of behaviour). It just sort of... continues.
April 17, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Building on this, a key feature of this government after freebiegate is not only not changing the rules, but failing to set standards even for their own MPs
One of the more quietly corrosive parts of the Just World Fallacy is powerful people's belief that because they are successful and powerful anything they choose to do must be inherently good and correct.
We saw this also with freebiegate. Most MPs do it and think it's fine so it *must* be fine.
We saw this also with freebiegate. Most MPs do it and think it's fine so it *must* be fine.
@luketaylorld.bsky.social deleted it - the ratio was probably too high, but screenshots exist
April 27, 2026 at 3:06 PM
One of the more quietly corrosive parts of the Just World Fallacy is powerful people's belief that because they are successful and powerful anything they choose to do must be inherently good and correct.
We saw this also with freebiegate. Most MPs do it and think it's fine so it *must* be fine.
We saw this also with freebiegate. Most MPs do it and think it's fine so it *must* be fine.
If the PLP had the same gifting policy as any modern organisation- as, say, Camden Council - Freebiegate would not have happened.
February 2, 2026 at 10:04 PM
If the PLP had the same gifting policy as any modern organisation- as, say, Camden Council - Freebiegate would not have happened.
Didn't he stand up in Parliament (on one of the rare occasions he attended) to have a go at Starmer during "Freebiegate" to sneer about how he had paid for his own suit? Imagine what Starmer could have come back with if the £5m gift had been declared?
June 23, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Didn't he stand up in Parliament (on one of the rare occasions he attended) to have a go at Starmer during "Freebiegate" to sneer about how he had paid for his own suit? Imagine what Starmer could have come back with if the £5m gift had been declared?
In under two years Starmer's Labour has been exposed.🥀
The Labour scandals - so far:
labourrightwatch.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/a...
The Labour scandals - so far:
labourrightwatch.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/a...
March 25, 2026 at 8:53 AM
In under two years Starmer's Labour has been exposed.🥀
The Labour scandals - so far:
labourrightwatch.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/a...
The Labour scandals - so far:
labourrightwatch.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/a...
A surprising number of people are interpreting this as 'Keir couldn't afford better suits' or a defence of either Freebiegate or the PM doing an address to the nation in his slacks. It's none of the above!
June 15, 2026 at 10:22 AM
A surprising number of people are interpreting this as 'Keir couldn't afford better suits' or a defence of either Freebiegate or the PM doing an address to the nation in his slacks. It's none of the above!
Controversial, but Starmer is doing ok. Considering what he inherited. Winter fuel cut was terrible mistake but farmer's inheritence tax & private school VAT were 2 brave moves - hopefully a sign of things to come. Thank GOD tories or Reform didn't win 🙏 www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
‘The public expected us to be squeaky clean ... now they think we’re all the same’: how freebiegate rocked Labour
Keir Starmer’s promise of a fresh break with Tory sleaze was dented by news he’d accepted clothing and concert tickets from a Labour donor. The Guardian’s political editor assesses the longer term dam...
www.theguardian.com
December 29, 2024 at 9:07 AM
Controversial, but Starmer is doing ok. Considering what he inherited. Winter fuel cut was terrible mistake but farmer's inheritence tax & private school VAT were 2 brave moves - hopefully a sign of things to come. Thank GOD tories or Reform didn't win 🙏 www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Amid the (mostly) trivia freebiegate stories, the real story of Labour conference was largely missed. The clearest signs yet the govt is going to shift fiscal and political approach and start talking about borrowing to invest. My piece for NS.
www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024...
www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024...
Rachel Reeves must bet on borrowing to invest
The Chancellor’s shift in position is Labour’s best hope of avoiding political and economic decline.
www.newstatesman.com
September 28, 2024 at 10:18 AM
Amid the (mostly) trivia freebiegate stories, the real story of Labour conference was largely missed. The clearest signs yet the govt is going to shift fiscal and political approach and start talking about borrowing to invest. My piece for NS.
www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024...
www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024...