The Bunker – News without the nonsense Mandelson gone, Starmer or McSweeney next? – Weekly Wrap-up with Zoë Grünewald and Jacob Jarvis
Feb 6, 2026
A rundown of a political scandal sparked by fresh Epstein-related emails and the fallout for top Labour figures. Debate over leadership credibility, internal party discipline and possible successors. Coverage of court system strain and long delays affecting victims. A look at Spain's under-16 social media ban and practical enforcement challenges. Plus a new decade-long cancer plan targeting improved survival rates.
AI Snips
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Barnsley Named Britain's First Tech Town
- Barnsley will be a test bed to roll AI across public services to tackle local problems like potholes and waiting lists.
- Residents feel mixed: hopeful for attention but worried AI will replace scarce jobs in a deindustrialised town.
Boys Club Explains Risky Appointments
- The appointment exposed a 'boys club' culture around Starmer driven by Morgan McSweeney and Blairite influences.
- That culture explains risky choices and a lack of female-centred judgment in senior appointments.
Pragmatism That Masks Cowardice
- Starmer's pragmatism has become bluster without backbone, producing moral and political voids.
- The government hides behind 'grown-up' rhetoric while avoiding tougher, value-driven choices.