Peter Mandelson

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The Right Honourable
 The Lord Mandelson 
PC


In office
5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by John Prescott
Succeeded by William Hague

In office
5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Succeeded by Nick Clegg

In office
5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by Himself (at BERR)
John Denham (at IUS)
Succeeded by Vince Cable

In office
3 October 2008 – 5 June 2009
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by John Hutton
Succeeded by Himself (at BIS)

In office
22 November 2004 – 3 October 2008
President José Manuel Barroso
Preceded by Pascal Lamy
Succeeded by Catherine Ashton

In office
11 October 1999 – 24 January 2001
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Mo Mowlam
Succeeded by John Reid

In office
27 July 1998 – 23 December 1998
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Margaret Beckett (President of the Board of Trade)
Succeeded by Stephen Byers

In office
2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Brian Mawhinney
Succeeded by Charles Clarke

Member of Parliament
for Hartlepool
In office
9 April 1992 – 23 July 2004
Preceded by Ted Leadbitter
Succeeded by Iain Wright
Majority 22,506 (59.1%)

Born 21 October 1953 (1953-10-21) (age 56)
South London, United Kingdom
Political party Labour
Alma mater St Catherine's College, Oxford

Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC (born 21 October 1953) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner. He was a key architect in the rebranding of the Labour Party as "New Labour" and its subsequent landslide victory in the 1997 general election.[1]

He twice resigned from Tony Blair's government while holding Cabinet positions. After his second resignation, he served as the European Commissioner for Trade for almost four years. He rejoined the government when he was made a life peer by the Queen and took his seat in the House of Lords on 13 October 2008.[2]

Contents

[edit] Early life

Peter Mandelson was born in London in 1953, where his father was the advertising manager at The Jewish Chronicle. On his mother's side, he is the grandson of Herbert Morrison, the London County Council leader and Labour cabinet minister. He was educated at Hendon County Grammar School 1965–72.[3] He read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Catherine's College, Oxford (1973–1976) and, in the late 1970s became director of the British Youth Council. As BYC director, he was a delegate in 1978 to the Soviet-organised World Festival of Youth and Students in Havana, Cuba, with Arthur Scargill and several future Labour cabinet colleagues.[4][5] He was elected to Lambeth Borough Council in September 1979, but retired in 1982, disillusioned with the state of Labour politics.[6]

[edit] Media and public relations

He worked as a television producer at London Weekend Television on Weekend World, before Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock appointed him as Director of Communications in 1985, with a view to him overseeing Labour's campaign for the next general election, which was ultimately held in June 1987 and ended in a third successive win for Margaret Thatcher's Tory government.[7]

Mandelson was able to secure close friendships within the Labour Party due to uncle Alexander Butler who had worked alongside many important Labour politicians during the 1960s. In this role he was one of the first people in Britain to whom the term "spin doctor" was applied; he was thus called "the Prince of Darkness"[8][9] and, after his ennoblement, "the Dark Lord", nicknames he apparently enjoys having.[10]

In 1986 Mandelson ran the campaign at the Fulham by-election that saw Labour defeat the Conservative Party.[11] He then managed the Labour Party's 1987 general election campaign.

He is author (with Roger Liddle) of The Blair Revolution (1996). More recently, he contributed to the book The City in Europe and the World (2005).

[edit] Political career

He ceased being a Labour Party official in 1990, when he was selected as Labour candidate for the safe seat of Hartlepool. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1992 general election.[12]

[edit] Shadow cabinet

He made several speeches outlining his strong support for the European Union. He was close to two Shadow Cabinet members, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, each regarded as potential future leaders, though he was sidelined during the brief period when John Smith led the party. After Smith's sudden death in 1994, Mandelson chose to back Blair for the leadership believing him to be a superior communicator to Brown[13] and played a leading role in the leadership campaign. This created antagonism between Mandelson and Brown, though they are now considered allies in the Labour Party.[14]

He became a close ally and trusted adviser to Tony Blair. He was Labour's election Campaign Director for the 1997 general election, which Labour won by a landslide.[15]

[edit] Government minister

He was appointed as a Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office, where his job was to co-ordinate within government. A few months later, he also acquired responsibility for the Millennium Dome, after Blair decided to go ahead with the project despite the opposition of most of the Cabinet (including the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who had been running it). Jennie Page, the Dome Chief Executive was abruptly sacked after a farcical opening night. She gave evidence to a House of Commons Select Committee for Culture and Heritage in June 2000. In what was seen as a reference to the close interest in the Dome from Mandelson, known at the time as so-called "Dome Secretary", and his successor Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Ms Page told the committee: "I made several attempts to persuade ministers that standing back from the Dome would be good for them as well as good for the Dome".[16]

In July 1998, he joined the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. He launched the Millennium Bug And Electronic Commerce Bill and a Competitiveness White Paper, which he described, as 'bold, far reaching and absolutely necessary'. He also appointed a 'Net czar' to lead the UK in what he termed the "new industrial revolution". In 1998 he was appointed a Privy Councillor.

[edit] First resignation

Mandelson had bought a home in Notting Hill in 1996 with the assistance of an interest-free loan of £373,000 from Geoffrey Robinson, a millionaire Labour MP who was also in the Government, but was subject to an inquiry into his business dealings by Mandelson's department.[17] Mandelson contended that he had deliberately not taken part in any decisions relating to Robinson. He should have declared the loan in the Register of Members' Interests and he resigned on 23 December 1998.[17] Mandelson had also not declared the loan to his building society (the Britannia) although they decided not to take any action, with the CEO stating "I am satisfied that the information given to us at the time of the mortgage application was accurate."[18] Mandelson initially thought he could weather the press storm, but had to resign when it became clear that the Prime Minister thought nothing else would clear the air.[19]

On 16 October 2000 it was reported that Geoffrey Robinson, the Labour MP, "accused Peter Mandelson of lying to the Commons about the home loan affair that cost both of them their Government jobs."[20][21]

He was out of the Cabinet for ten months. In October 1999, he was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, replacing Mo Mowlam. In his very first speech in the post he mistakenly referred to himself as the "Secretary of State for Ireland."[22] During his tenure he oversaw the creation of the devolved legislative assembly and power-sharing executive, and reform of the police service.

[edit] Second resignation

On 24 January 2001 Mandelson resigned from the Government for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.[23][24] He had contacted Home Office minister Mike O'Brien on behalf of Srichand Hinduja, an Indian businessman who was seeking British citizenship, and whose family firm was to become the main sponsor of the "Faith Zone" in the Millennium Dome. At the time, Hinduja and his brothers were under investigation by the Indian government for alleged involvement in the Bofors scandal. Mandelson insisted he had done nothing wrong and was exonerated by an independent inquiry by Sir Anthony Hammond which concluded that neither Mandelson nor anyone else had acted improperly. The front page headline in The Independent read in part "Passport to Oblivion".[25]

At the 2001 general election, Mandelson was challenged by Arthur Scargill of the Socialist Labour Party and by John Booth, a former Labour Party press officer standing as "Genuine Labour",[26] but Mandelson was re-elected with a large majority.[27] This prompted him to make an exuberant acceptance speech, which was televised live, in which he declared that "I'm a fighter, not a quitter"[1] and referred to his "inner steel".

Despite Labour success in the June 2001 general election a third appointment to the Cabinet did not happen and he indicated his interest in becoming the United Kingdom's European Commissioner when the new Commission was established in 2004. Both of Britain's Commissioners, Neil Kinnock and Chris Patten, were due to stand down. Appointment as a Commissioner would require his resignation from Parliament and therefore a by-election in his Hartlepool constituency. His appointment was announced in the summer and on 8 September 2004 Mandelson resigned his seat through appointment as Steward of the Manor of Northstead.[28][29] Labour won the subsequent Hartlepool by-election with a majority of more than 2,000.[30]

During the Parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009 the Daily Telegraph raised questions about the timing of Mandelson’s second home allowance claim, dating from 2004, saying, "Lord Mandelson billed the taxpayer for almost £3,000 of work on his constituency home in Hartlepool less than a week after announcing his decision to stand down as an MP." Lord Mandelson said in a statement, "The work done was necessary maintenance. All claims made were reasonable and submitted consistent with Parliamentary rules."[31]

[edit] European Commissioner

On 22 November 2004, Mandelson became Britain's European Commissioner, taking the trade portfolio.

On 22 April 2005, The Times revealed that Mandelson had spent the previous New Year's Eve on the yacht of Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, which was at the centre of a major EU investigation, although it did not allege impropriety.[32]

During the summer of 2008, Mandelson had a widely publicised disagreement with Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France.[1] Sarkozy accused him of trying to sell out European farmers and appeared to blame his handling of the Doha round of trade talks for the "no" vote in the Irish referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. Mandelson said his position at world trade talks had been undermined and told the BBC he did not start the row, saying, "I stood up for myself, I'm not to be bullied." He said he believed the row was over but renewed his warnings on protectionism.[1]

In 2008, melamine added to milk in China caused kidney stones and other ailments in thousands of Chinese children, and killed at least six. To show his confidence in Chinese dairy products, Mandelson drank a glass of Chinese yoghurt in front of reporters. The following week, he was hospitalised for a kidney stone; despite the apparent irony, the events were probably unconnected.[33][34]

In October 2008, Mandelson was reported to have maintained private contacts over several years with Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, most recently on holiday in August 2008 on Deripaska's yacht at Taverna Agni on the Greek island of Corfu.[35] News of the contacts sparked criticism because, as European Union trade commissioner, Mandelson had been responsible for two decisions to cut aluminium tariffs that had benefited Deripaska's United Company RusAl.[36] Mandelson denied that there had been a conflict of interest and insisted that he had never discussed aluminium tariffs with Deripaska.[37] On 26 October 2008, the Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague claimed the "whole country" wanted "transparency" about Mandelson's previous meetings with Deripaska. In response, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Mandelson's dealings with Deripaska had been "found to be above board".[38] Mandelson said that meeting business figures from "across the range" in emerging economies was part of his brief as EU trade commissioner.[39] On 29 October 2008, while Mandelson was on a ministerial visit to Moscow,[40] it was alleged in the British press that, head of security at Deripaska's company Basic Element Valery Pechenkin had organised a swift entry visa for Mandelson when he turned up in Moscow to visit Deripaska in 2005.[41]

In October 2008 he left his post as Trade Commissioner to return to UK politics. As a former EU commissioner, Lord Mandelson is entitled to a £31,000 pension when he reaches the age of 65 years. This, however, is contingent on a "duty of loyalty to the Communities" which applies also after his term in office. The Taxpayers' Alliance, which uncovered the potential threat to his pension, demanded that he should declare it as a conflict of interest, and either forgo his EU pension payments or resign as a minister. "When one considers that his new ministerial post deals specifically with Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform – all areas that are intimately involved with EU legislation, regulation and policy –" the group said, "the conflict of interest is even more stark." However, Mandelson's spokesperson denied there is a conflict of interest: "He has always had a clear view of British interests and how they are best secured by our EU membership".[42]

[edit] Return to Cabinet

On 3 October 2008, as part of Gordon Brown's cabinet reshuffle, it was announced amid some controversy[43][44] that Mandelson would return to government in the re-drawn post of Business Secretary, and would be made a life peer, entitling him to a seat in the House of Lords.[45][46] On 13 October 2008 he was created Baron Mandelson, of Foy in the County of Herefordshire and of Hartlepool in the County of Durham,[47][48] and took his seat in the House of Lords the same day.

Since returning to office, Lord Mandelson has supported the planned Heathrow Airport expansion.[49] On 6 March 2009, the environmental protester Leila Deen of anti-aviation group Plane Stupid approached him outside a summit on the government's Low Carbon Industrial Strategy and threw a cup of green custard in his face, in protest over his support for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. The protester was cautioned on 9 April for causing "harassment, alarm or distress".[50][51]

In a cabinet reshuffle on 5 June 2009, Lord Mandelson was appointed to the honorific office of First Secretary of State, and to the position of Lord President of the Council.[52] It was also announced that the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills would be merged into his, giving him the new title of Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, and that he would continue as President of the Board of Trade.[52][53]

Mandelson was a member of 35 of the 43 Cabinet committees and subcommittees.[54] An opinion poll conducted by the centre-left think tank Compass found that Mandelson was proving to be more popular with rank and file party members than Deputy Party Leader Harriet Harman. This was claimed to be surprising due to Mandelson's previously strained relationship with grassroots members, set against Harman's record of success winning grassroots votes in her election as Deputy. It was also seen to be prophetic, and to tie-in with Tony Blair's quote that his "mission would be completed when the Labour Party learned to love [Peter] Mandelson".[55]

In his final speech as Labour Leader Gordon Brown intimated that Blair's mission was complete, referring to Mandelson as "the rock upon which the stability of the Labour Party had been built for many years.”

In August 2009, The Independent reported that unnamed Whitehall sources had said Mandelson was persuaded of the need to try to reduce illegal file-sharing after an intensive lobbying campaign from influential foreign people in the entertainment and banking industries.[56] The Independent also reported that this included a meeting with DreamWorks co-founder David Geffen at the Rothschild family villa on the Greek island of Corfu. Lord Mandelson's spokesperson said that there had been no discussion of internet piracy during the Corfu dinner.[57] The Times reported after the Corfu meeting that an unnamed Whitehall source had said, "Until the past week Mandelson had shown little personal interest in the Digital Britain agenda. According to The Times, their unnamed source further speculated that apparently Mandelson returned from holiday and effectively issued this edict that the regulation needs to be tougher."[58] Mandelson denied that the two events were linked.[57]

[edit] Retirement

All of the current candidates for leadership of the Labour Party have stated that Peter Mandelson will be taking no future part in the shadow cabinet. Andy Burnham says "Peter did some great things. But we created the impression that the elite was running the country"[59] and Ed Miliband, "I think all of us believe in dignity in retirement".[59]

[edit] Memoirs

After the Labour Party failed to secure a majority in the 2010 general election and subsequent resignation of the Labour government Mandelson published his memoirs in July 2010[60], a little over 2 months after leaving office.

[edit] Personal life

In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when Matthew Parris (openly gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of The Times) mentioned during a live interview on Newsnight, in the wake of the resignation of Ron Davies, that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".[61]

In 2000, Peter Mandelson publicly recognised his long term relationship with his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together.[62]

Mandelson also acquired the nickname "Mandy" by reference to his surname.[63]

Tam Dalyell, while Father of the House of Commons, claimed Mandelson formed part of Blair's 'Jewish cabal' in May 2003. In response Mandelson said: "Apart from the fact that I am not actually Jewish, I wear my father's parentage with pride."[64]

Mandelson was, until 8 October 2008, the president of Central School of Speech and Drama.[65] He was replaced in this unremunerated post by playwright Harold Pinter, who died some weeks later.

In 1999 and 2009, Mandelson was an invited guest of the Bilderberg Group and attended the annual conferences.[66][67]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Profile: Peter Mandelson, BBC News, 3 October 2008.
  2. ^ "Baron Mandelson joins the Lords". BBC News. 13 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7666482.stm. Retrieved 29 October 2008. 
  3. ^ "profile". BBC News. 2008-10-03. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7650195.stm. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  4. ^ Wilson, Brian (28 August 2003). "Revolution revisited". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/aug/28/cuba.world. Retrieved 16 July 2008. 
  5. ^ Ahmed, Kamal (19 January 2003). "Race winner". The Observer (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/jan/19/labour.race. Retrieved 16 July 2008. 
  6. ^ Rawnsley, Andrew (March 1, 2009). "On his return, Mandelson shows he's ready to fight". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/01/peter-mandelson-interview-royal-mail. Retrieved 27 November 2009. 
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Grice, Andrew (2003-04-21). "Peter Mandelson: 'Prince of Darkness' who travels the world spreading the gospel for New Labour - Profiles, People". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/peter-mandelson-prince-of-darkness-who-travels-the-world-spreading-the-gospel-for-new-labour-595112.html. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  9. ^ "UK | UK Politics | 'Prince of darkness' returns". BBC News. 1999-10-12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/404194.stm. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  10. ^ "SIGNED, 'THE DARK LORD'" Daily Mail, 1 May 2010.
  11. ^ Swaine, Jon (October 3, 2008). "Peter Mandelson: Timeline of his career". London: The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/3129952/Peter-Mandelson-Timeline-of-his-career.html. Retrieved April 26, 2010. 
  12. ^ London Gazette: no. 52903, p. 7176, 24 April 1992. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  13. ^ "The Tony Blair Story". BBC News. 10 May 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6506365.stm. Retrieved 23 September 2008. 
  14. ^ "Brown and Mandelson: It's Love". Newstatesman.com. http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/06/mandelson-brown-blair-prime. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  15. ^ "Peter Mandelson: Labour's election campaign needs to express its vision and beliefs". London: The Independent. 14 May 2001. http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/peter-mandelson-labours-election-campaign-needs--to-express-its-vision-and-beliefs-684602.html. Retrieved 12 August 2009. 
  16. ^ Carrell, Severin (16 June 2000). "Page told ministers to stay away from Dome', The Independent, 16 June 2000". London. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/page-told-ministers-to-stay-away-from-dome-715271.html. Retrieved 31 July 2008. 
  17. ^ a b "Double resignation rocks government". BBC News. 23 December 1998. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/241464.stm. Retrieved 13 February 2007. 
  18. ^ "Mandelson gets mortgage all-clear". BBC News. 8 January 1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/251125.stm. Retrieved 13 February 2007. 
  19. ^ Andrew Rawnsley, The Guardian, 17 September 2000, The house comes tumbling down
  20. ^ Brogan, Benedict (2000-10-16). "Mandelson 'lied over home loan'". London: Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1370559/Mandelson-lied-over-home-loan.html. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  21. ^ Mandelson 'lied' over loan - UK Politics, UK – The Independent
  22. ^ "Mandelson passes first Commons test". BBC News. 20 October 1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/480695.stm. Retrieved 13 February 2007. 
  23. ^ "BBC News | SOUTH ASIA | Mandelson resigns over Hinduja affair". BBC News. 24 January 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1134819.stm. Retrieved 3 October 2008. 
  24. ^ London Gazette: no. 56106, p. 1223, 31 January 2001. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  25. ^ Andrew Grice, "The Mandelson Resignation: Passport to Oblivion", The Independent, 25 January 2001
  26. ^ "Mandelson faces new challenger". BBC News. 5 May 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1314307.stm. Retrieved 5 April 2009. 
  27. ^ Ask Aristotle. "Hartlepool". The Guardian (London). http://politics.guardian.co.uk/hoc/constituency/0,,-1005,00.html. Retrieved 5 April 2009. 
  28. ^ "Mandelson appointed to lead EU trade". The Scotsman. 17 August 2004. http://news.scotsman.com/petermandelson/Mandelson-appointed-to-lead-EU.2554339.jp. Retrieved 28 November 2009. 
  29. ^ London Gazette: no. 57414, p. 11832, 20 September 2004. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  30. ^ Wintour, Patrick (1 October 2004). "Tories pushed into fourth place as Labour holds on to Hartlepool". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2004/oct/01/uk.byelections. Retrieved 28 November 2009. 
  31. ^ Prince, Rosa (8 May 2009). "MPs expenses: Questions over timing of Peter Mandelson’s house claim". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5293035/MPs-expenses-Questions-over-timing-of-Peter-Mandelsons-house-claim.html. Retrieved 18 August 2009. 
  32. ^ Anthony Browne, Daniel McGrory and Lewis Smith "Mandelson, the computer king and a party on a luxury yacht", The Times, 22 April 2009
  33. ^ Jon Swaine (6 October 2008). "Peter Mandelson to have kidney stone removed". Telegraph.co.uk (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/3144271/Peter-Mandelson-to-have-kidney-stone-removed.html. Retrieved 7 September 2009. 
  34. ^ Rowan Callick (8 October 2008). "British politician Peter Mandelson ill after yoghurt in China". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24462153-25837,00.html. Retrieved 7 September 2009. 
  35. ^ Robertson, David (21 October 2008). "Lord Mandelson and Oleg Deripaska dined together 'a year before they met’". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4982163.ece. Retrieved 23 October 2008. 
  36. ^ "U.K. Conservatives Linked to Deripaska". The Moscow Times. 22 October 2008. http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/371829.htm. Retrieved 23 October 2008. 
  37. ^ Robertson, David; Charter, David (13 October 2008). "Peter Mandelson dogged by his links to Russian oligarch". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4932191.ece. Retrieved 23 October 2008. 
  38. ^ "Tories seek Mandelson 'clarity'". BBC News. 26 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7691678.stm. Retrieved 30 October 2008. 
  39. ^ Parfitt, Tom (28 October 2008). "Mandelson silent on Deripaska". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/28/peter-mandelson-oleg-deripaska-corfu. Retrieved 30 October 2008. 
  40. ^ Parfitt, Tom (29 October 2008). "Mandelson hails thaw in relations with Moscow". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/29/russia-mandelson. Retrieved 30 October 2008. 
  41. ^ "Veteran KGB spy revealed as Deripaska's right-hand man". The Evening Standard. 29 October 2008. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23579423-details/Veteran+KGB+spy+revealed+as+Deripaska%27s+right-hand+man/article.do. Retrieved 30 October 2008. 
  42. ^ Christopher Hope: Lord Mandelson must remain loyal to EU to guarantee pension The Daily Telegraph, 16 March 2009
  43. ^ "Mandelson becomes peer amid controversy". politics.co.uk. http://www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/mandelson-becomes-peer-amid-controversy-$1244576.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  44. ^ Nicholas Watt (13 October 2008). "Peter Mandelson goes to Lords amid new controversy | Politics". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/13/mandelson-lords. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  45. ^ "Mandelson to return to government". BBC News website. 3 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7650013.stm. Retrieved 3 October 2008. 
  46. ^ London Gazette: no. 58848, p. 15551, 10 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  47. ^ Oliver, Jonathan (12 October 2008). "Mine’s a double: Lord Peter Mandelson reveals full title". London: Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4926596.ece. Retrieved 13 October 2008. 
  48. ^ London Gazette: no. 58855, p. 15991, 17 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  49. ^ "Mandelson throws his weight behind third Heathrow runway". The London Evening Standard. 15 December 2008. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23601732-mandelson-throws-his-weight-behind-third-heathrow-runway.do. Retrieved 27 November 2009. 
  50. ^ "Mandelson custard woman cautioned". BBC News. 9 April 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7991907.stm. Retrieved 15 April 2009. 
  51. ^ Hines, Nico: Protester throws green custard in the face of Lord Mandelson and walks away The Times, 6 March 2009
  52. ^ a b Wintour, Patrick. "Weakened Gordon Brown unable to shift cabinet's bigger beasts". Guardian website (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/05/cabinet-reshuffle-gordon-brown-ed-balls. Retrieved 5 June 2008. 
  53. ^ Full list of Cabinet members, Prime Minister’s Office, 5 June 2009
  54. ^ Wardrop, Murray (22 July 2009). "Lord Mandelson's empire: 35 Cabinet committee posts". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5882622/Lord-Mandelsons-empire-35-Cabinet-committee-posts.html. Retrieved 22 May 2010. 
  55. ^ Hennessy, Patrick (7 March 2009). "Harriet Harman less popular than Peter Mandelson among Labour members". Telegraph webside (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/4953559/Harriet-Harman-less-popular-than-Peter-Mandelson-among-Labour-members.html. Retrieved 8 March 2009. 
  56. ^ "The Net closes in on internet piracy – News, Music". London: The Independent. 16 August 2009. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/the-net-closes-in-on-internet-piracy-1772820.html. Retrieved 25 November 2009. 
  57. ^ a b Daniel Martin. "Mandelson launches crackdown on file sharing... just days after meeting with record producer | Mail Online". DailyMail.co.uk. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206901/Mandelson-launches-crackdown-file-sharing--just-days-meeting-record-producer.html. Retrieved 25 November 2009. 
  58. ^ Oliver, Jonathan (16 August 2009). "Mandelson targets web pirates after dinner with mogul". London: The Times Online. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6797844.ece. Retrieved 6 January 2009. 
  59. ^ a b "Diane Abbott's supporters urge ballot rival John McDonnell to stand down - Politics - The Guardian". London. 7 June 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/07/labour-leadership-diane-abbott-mcdonnell. Retrieved 2010-06-08. 
  60. ^ Amazon (15 July 2010)
  61. ^ "Mandelson is gay, says former MP". The Mirror. 28 October 1998. p. 3. "A TV audience was shocked last night when a former MP claimed Trade supremo Peter Mandelson was homosexual. Columnist Matthew Parris – ex-Tory MP for West Derbyshire – told BBC Newsnight that Mandelson was one of two gays in Tony Blair's Cabinet. The claim came during a discussion of the Ron Davies crisis." 
  62. ^ Martin Smith (23 April 2000). "The Graduate; So here's to you Mr Mandelson, as the Ulster Secretary and his partner go public...". The Mail on Sunday. p. 7. "It could hardly have been a more public statement of their friendship. Peter Mandelson, 46, and his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, 28, were among the audience at the Gielgud Theatre to watch the West End stage adaptation of the Sixties film classic The Graduate... Reinaldo now shares the Minister's London home in Notting Hill. Recently, neighbours have noticed them shopping together for scented candles and incense and supervising the extensive renovation of the home Mr Mandelson bought for nearly 250,000 pounds last year." 
  63. ^ "UK Politics. How Mandy might have done it.". BBC News. 15 June 1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/369548.stm. Retrieved 10 October 2008. 
  64. ^ "Fury as Dalyell attacks Blair's 'Jewish cabal'". The Daily Telegraph (London). 4 May 2003. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071115200404/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/05/04/ndaly04.xml&sSheet=/portal/2003/05/04/ixportaltop.html. Retrieved 13 April 2008. 
  65. ^ House of Commons. "The House of Commons – Register of Members' Interests". Publications.parliament.uk. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmregmem/memi19.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  66. ^ House of Commons. "British House of Commons – Register of Journalists' Interests". Publications.parliament.uk. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmregmem/memi19.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  67. ^ "Our man at Bilderberg". London: The Guardian. 19 May 2009. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/may/19/bilderberg-skelton-greece. Retrieved 20 August 2009. "Mandelson's office has confirmed his attendance at this year's meeting: "Yes, Lord Mandelson attended Bilberberg. He found it a valuable conference."" 

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