David Fraser

Yorkshireman since 1990, husband, proud adoptive Dad to 2 superstars

[Isabel Oakeshott @IsabelOakeshott]

You disgust me.

[Andrew Neil @afneil]

Monologue from today’s Times at One with Andrew Neil:

BETRAYAL

And still the revelations about Peter Mandleson’s betrayals from the heart of government come, each one more jaw-dropping than the last. 

We learned earlier this week that he’d tipped off his convicted pedophile mate about an imminent €500bn bailout of the Eurozone, advance information hugely useful to a financial fixer like Jeffrey Epstein. 

Even more incredibly, we saw how he’d advised America’s most powerful banker, via Epstein, to threaten the British government over plans to tax bankers’ bonuses in the wake of the Great Financial Crash, caused by said bankers. 

Which the powerful banker then did in an intimidating call to then Chancellor Alastair Darling. A call inspired by the government’s very own business secretary, one Peter Mandleson. 

Now we learn that the moment Mandleson was given a note about a highly sensitive meeting between Darling and then US Treasury secretary Larry Summers in March 2010, our business secretary had whisked it to Epstein within five minutes. That’s right. Five. Minutes. 

Mandleson then received a second confidential note on the Darling-Summers exchanges. It took him only two minutes to send that to his pedo mate. 

The reality is that Epstein had his very own mole at the heart of the British government, sending him secret and confidential information which could profit Epstein and his billionaire banker friends. And that mole was our business secretary. 

He even tipped Epstein off about the state of talks between Britain and America over a £10bn aerospace contract to provide the RAF with air-to-air refuelling tankers. 

At one stage Mandleson opines to Epstein that the then PM needs to be confined to a sanatorium. Remember Mandleson is saying this of the man who’d revived his political career. It doesn’t get much lower than that. No wonder Brown is seething.

Let’s be blunt: the evidence is compelling that Mandleson betrayed himself, his department, his PM, his government, his country. 

And let us not forget Mandleson had previously been bunged $75,000 by Epstein. He says he has no recollection of such payments though the bank statements are clear for all to see. But, hey, who hasn’t forgotten a $75,000 gift?

Mandleson’s partner also had his snout in the trough. We now learn he received three payments of £4,000 each from Epstein — this on top of £10,000 to take a course in osteopathy. Of course for Epstein it was all chicken feed. He must have been laughing all the way to his insider dealing. 

Whether it’s for misconduct in public office, breaching the official secrets act or dealing in insider information, it’s only right that his former lordship be the subject of the most rigorous criminal investigation. And quickly. This should not be allowed to drag on. 

But Keir Starmer has almost as many questions to answer as Mandleson. Just how was it that such a snake ended up as our man in Washington?

Starmer didn’t know what we now know about Mandleson. But he knew a lot. In a faltering performance at PMQs he’s just admitted he did know of Mandleson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein. But he still appointed him anyway. 

Starmer now claims Mandleson lied and lied to him. But my understanding is that Mandleson was never properly quizzed about his links with Epstein, so anxious was Starmer and his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, to shoe-horn him into our palatial embassy on Massachusetts Avenue. 

The push is on in Parliament today for the government to reveal all the details of the vetting of Peter Mandleson. 
At times like this the default of British governments is to stonewall.

But if Starmer truly regrets his Mandleson appointment, which has turned into a political catastrophe for him, he will sanction full disclosure of all relevant material, including who was involved in pressing Mandleson’s appointment. 

Nothing less will suffice in what has become the greatest political scandal of our age.

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@JamieMagill5 Mine would be...

Gooch
Cook
Trott
Root
KP
Stokes (c)
Prior (w/k)
Swan
Broad
Gough
Anderson

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@JamieMagill5 A nice XI! With 4 seamers and a spinner (plus a few from Root and possibly KP) it's nice to see Jack Russell in the side!

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@RobTebbutt '2 big shots from Serrano!'. One hit the glove, the other missed!

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@IcelandFoods Thanks Josh, just sent across.

[HorburyBridgeAcademy @HorburyBridgeAc]

We are currently seeking an EYFS Leader to join our wonderful team at HBA. More info at the link below...
#EYFS #teachingjobs
https://t.co/2h0yUSBJih

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@Amermalik12 Paul Smith
Daniel Vettori
Clive Lloyd
David Steele
Jack Leach

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@retrofootballnw Coca-cola mini footballs

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@ham1878 @TheBarmyArmy Scored 69 I believe?

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@onedaycup Not out, going down

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@snboxing Michael Bentt

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@jaf1975 @MrMutantes 😂 ‘I’d heard a different story’

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@TUIUK we have been sat on the coach at Menorca airport for over an hour now awaiting transfer to our hotel. Very little communication. We have seen several coaches depart since we have arrived. We still have an hours transfer ahead of us. What’s going on?

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@LiamKeith @RobTebbutt 😂😂

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

@lizzieladybird @trippywoo Will be there whenever you do!

[David Fraser @davidfraser79]

Kirkby Malzeard Moor – pedalnorth ⁦@pdominichancock⁩ https://t.co/QO8oUxD2Qh

[Samuel K @SamuelKOfficial]

.@MattHancock - resign.