Files and Classifications

Of the two principal British characters in the Epstein Files, one has been a significant political figure for more than 30 years, while the other is receiving all the attention. Andrew Notwithstanding-Thefact has never been European Commissioner for Trade, or First Secretary of State, or British Ambassador to the United States.

The King never met Jeffrey Epstein, but Tony Blair met him as Prime Minister. Andrew has had to give up his Garter, so what about Blair's? Blair and Peter Mandelson both have Labour Party membership cards, and Mandelson has its whip. Why does anyone else retain either? Why would anyone vote for someone who did, or who wanted to? For example, the Labour candidate at Gorton and Denton, Angeliki Stogia?

And what of her day job? "As the lead of Arup's advisory services stakeholder engagement team, I design, deliver, and evaluate stakeholder and community engagement strategies for infrastructure, transport, energy, water, and sustainability projects." Yes. Yes, it does. A Labour councillor. Trying to become a Labour MP. Of course.

In fact, that sort of thing is one of the last aspects of British politics that still make sense. "Britain is broken," says the Government. "Britain is not broken," says the Official Opposition. "Britain is broken, so fix it by bringing back ever more of the people who broke it," says the party that is leading the polls. The Daily Express campaign to "Give Us a Proper Brexit" is backed by Boris Johnson. And so on, and on, and on.

Of the 20 councillors who joined Reform UK on the fourteenth of this month, five were Independents, but 14 were Conservatives 24 hours ago, and one was in the Green Party. And why not? The Greens have increased Brighton Council's surplus by the same £60 million that they have cut from services. Across the country, their councillors vote for austerity. A Portsmouth City Councillor of 30 years' standing, Jason Fazackarley, who had sat both as a Green and for Labour, moved in November from the Liberal Democrats, who had made him Lord Mayor, to Reform, following at least one other sitting Lib Dem councillor, Jeff Sumner of Burnley. From Labour to Reform defected, among at least five others nationwide last year, Councillor Mason Humberstone of Stevenage, who contested internal Labour Party elections on the slate of Morgan McSweeney's Labour Together. Reform expects to take the Stevenage parliamentary seat from Labour.

Green and Reform councillors both vote for austerity, just like, and indeed alongside, Labour, Conservative, and Liberal Democrat councillors. Just like, and indeed alongside, Conservative and Lib Dem parliamentarians, Green and Reform parliamentarians vote against even such limited workers' rights as Labour can be bothered to propose. If you vote Green, then you may as well vote for Nigel Farage. If you vote Reform, then you may as well vote for Zack Polanksi. Vote against austerity. Vote for workers' rights. Vote for the Workers Party.