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ANDREW PIERCE: Lord Mandelson is facing probe over lobbying By Andrew Pierce for the Daily Mail Published: 20:15 EDT, 27 October 2024 | Updated: 20:15 EDT, 27 October 2024 e-mail View comments Yet more embarrassment for the Prime Minister over his close links to wealthy peers. Lord Mandelson, one of Keir Starmer 's key advisers, is under investigation by the lobbying regulator. The Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists is looking into the former business secretary's public affairs firm Global Counsel 'in relation to potentially inaccurate quarterly information returns'.
Only last week, Labour donor Lord Alli, who has given Starmer thousands of pounds in designer clothes and spectacles, apologised to the House of Lords over four breaches of Parliament's rules relating to his declaration of financial interests. Now Global Counsel, founded by Mandelson, a former EU trade commissioner, is under investigation over claims it lobbied British ministers on behalf of the state-backed Qatar Free Zones Authority while failing to list the Qatar authority as a Global client. Mandelson is close to the Labour high command.
Before the election, Global Counsel spent £36,000 seconding a staff member to the office of then shadow treasury minister Tulip Siddiq. Yet more embarrassment for the Prime Minister over his close links to wealthy peers, says Andrew Pierce - pictured is the Prime Minister at a breakfast meeting in New York Lord Mandelson, (pictured) one of Keir Starmer 's key advisers, is under investigation by the lobbying regulator Only last week, Labour donor Lord Alli, (pictured) who has given Starmer thousands of pounds in designer clothes and spectacles, apologised to the House of Lords over four breaches of Parliament's rules relating to his declaration of financial interests Further controversy over his business affairs – Mandelson twice left Tony Blair 's Cabinet under a cloud – will surely do nothing for Mandy's campaign to be the next Chancellor of Oxford University . Global Counsel has not responded to requests for comment.
Charles put his foot in it Prince Philip was famous for his politically incorrect gaffes and it seems that King Charles may have inherited some of his father's tact, or lack of it. The author Kate Mosse recalls the moment she was given her OBE in 2013 by the then Prince Charles: 'I went up to get it and he looked down and said, 'My wife said you'd be wearing ridiculous shoes, and you are!' ' Prince Philip was famous for his politically incorrect gaffes and it seems that King Charles may have inherited some of his father's tact, or lack of it For centuries, Chancellors of the Exchequer have been issued with a robe of office in their capacity as Master of the Mint. Some wore it to coronations, others to the 'Trial of the Pyx', the annual ceremony to ensure newly minted coins meet specifications.
But the garb went missing during the Gordon Brown era. Rachel Reeves, the first woman Chancellor, perhaps mindful of the pain she is preparing to unleash in Wednesday's Budget, has ruled out buying a replacement. Foreign office minister Hamish Falconer has defended the Government's class-war attack on independent schools, whose fees will incur a 20 per cent VAT charge from January.
He is the son of Lord 'Charlie' Falconer, who failed to be selected as Labour candidate for Dudley North in 1997 as he refused to take his four children – including wee Hamish – out of their private schools. Foreign office minister Hamish Falconer (pictured in Gaza) has defended the Government's class-war attack on independent schools In an effort to soften his image, Starmer revealed last month that his family had acquired a Siberian kitten, Prince. But after one staged photo with the PM there has been no sign of the moggy with the distinctive white coat.
Has Larry, the Downing Street cat of long standing, seen off his feline rival? Or is Prince a strictly stay-at-home cat? Rise Of The Robots The man who voiced Mrs Thatcher's Spitting Image puppet has published a new book, Steve Nallon's Ghost Stories. Asked what he thinks of the voices of politicians today, Mr Nallon replied: 'Angela Rayner is Thora Hird with too many gins at Christmas – but at least you know she's on her way, because Angela enters the room voice first. Starmer and Reeves are both vocal automatons and sound like bad versions of AI.
Reeves is the Terminator's sister if she'd have been built here.' Share or comment on this article: ANDREW PIERCE: Lord Mandelson is facing probe over lobbying e-mail Add comment.
