Pnewsology

The week’s news with a dash of psychology!

Jane Ogden (Professor in Health Psychology, Emeritus; email janeogden509@gmail.com; based on a conversation with James Cannon at Radio Surrey; 8.40 am 06/02/2026)

Week ending 06/02/2026

All opinions are those of Jane Ogden

This week, yet again, the Epstein files have dominated the news with stories of abuse, paedophilia, trafficking, corruption, bribery and the very darkest side of evil.  But within this there have also been bizarre stories of loyalty.  Sarah Ferguson seems to have been loyal to Epstein, whatever he did, and sent him friendly messages both before and after he was convicted.  Likewise, Andrew also still seemed to like his friend and was loyal to him throughout.  Trump.  Well – he’s in over 5,300 of these files and they seem to have been great pals.  And there’s Peter Mandelson.

Home and away, Mandelson’s life seems to have been not only one of being loyal to Epstein but also, somehow, and up until now, having the loyalty of the Labour party.   This week it has emerged that Mandelson not only received money from Epstein but also emailed him confidential information.  He was appointed Ambassador to the US by Keir Starmer but removed once his links to Epstein started to emerge.  But he was still in the labour party and also in the House of Lords.  Now we are supposed to be surprised that there was more to this story.  Apparently, he lied during the vetting process.  But he has history.  He ‘resigned’ back in 1998 after receiving a loan of £373,000 from Geoffrey Robinson who was under investigation (by Mandelson’s department?!).  He ‘resigned’ again (having got a new job) after pushing for a British passport for an Indian Billionaire.  Mandelson seems to be loyal to rich people and the Labour party seems to have been loyal to him.  Although as we speak the police are at his house and Starmer is doing the right thing.

But there is some hope as others also seem at last to be doing the right thing.  The Clintons have both said they will testify, about what they know and Bill Gates’s wife, Melinda, has said its time for it all to come out.  And the King and Queen have now both been heckled about Andrew – which they must hate.  So rather than him just having to move into a slightly smaller house and lose his title, maybe they should also do the right thing and make him testify as well.  His family may feel loyal to him, but the country certainly doesn’t and maybe by coming clean and telling the world what he did and what he knows he can claw back a tiny bit of respect from the rest of us.

Loyalty can be a good thing if we are loyal to our families and friends.  Ideally it is driven by love but often it seems to be money and power that are behind it.  And now it also seems to gets in the way of just doing what is right.  There is a massive story behind all of this of all the women who have been abused.  They have told their stories and are being ignored.  The main man behind this is now dead.  BUT maybe if everyone else involved, stopped being loyal to all the wrong people, and started doing the right thing we could at last see some sort of justice.