Mandelson’s Return Is Politics For The Institutionalised
PETER Mandelson is returned to Government. What hold does he have over Gordon Brown? Why back again?
It’s not enough unlike the Italians, who seem to play political musical chairs, the names only changing when someone dies or gets jailed.
Indeed, the political system seems to cater for those who have been away, either in jail or hospital, and might have missed the news.
Reassuringly for them, nothing has change. You can leave the UK for years and return to the same faces, same news, same ishoos.
How very comforting it must have been for a jailbird to see Margaret Thatcher welcoming Gordon Brown into No.10, or was it the other way around. What matter?
So Mandelson is back, and Anorak wonders if he is still talking about himself in the third person (“Peter Mandelson is not a quitter”) or has moved onto the third person plural: “Those Peter Madelsons are not quitters”)?
There may be lots of Peter Mandelsons all whispering among themselves right now, telling each other to be wary of whispering comrades.
There are Peter Mandelsons at Glyndebourne, Wimbledon and every football match; while all Jeffrey Archer can muster is outing at Royal Ascot.
Peter Mandelson is less influential than he is ubiquitous.
So here he is on the front pages. If Brown’s recidivism counts for anything it is to make him no longer the most hated man in politics:
“ARISE LORD SLEEZE” – Daily Mail
“Return of the Prince of Darkness” – Independent
“Lord of Darkness returns as Brown risks all” – Daily Telegraph relegates Brown down the order of peerage
“I’m Behind You” – The Sun’s slight at Mandelson’s sexuality.
And here’s Gordon Brown stood alongside Mandelson, raising his eyes as third-time-lucky Pete speaks, and using his eyes to say: “See! See what I have to out up with from the slippery bastards…”
Posted: 4th, October 2008 | In: Labour Party, Politicians Comments (19) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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October 5th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
One of the papers claimed that the old fool Blunkett would be the next to be raised from the dead….
October 5th, 2008 at 8:01 am
The fact is that this dreadful man is probably the best they have got. Just look at ZaNuLabour back-bench MPs, there is not a bright spark with ant experience of life amongst them. Expect more of “black is white”, “down is up” and “bad is good” from this Gov. stuffed out with serial liars.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
That should be ’swallow’ their pride; I have no idea whether sallow complexions are the norm in Ireland, but I would not wish to cause offense.
Unless I mean to, of course…
October 4th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Oh, I can imagine them if the lawyers all comitted suicide the previous day, but it seems a tad improbable.
The interesting thing is that our Tone used the disappearance of Madeleine McCann to distract the media from the Lord Browne scandal, and our Gordon is now using the re-appearance of the Prince of Darkness to distract some media attention from the crisis in the financial markets.
I’m being a bit unkind in suggesting that Gordon intends to create the fund and spend it straightaway propping up the banks, since he has, at least, objected to the Sister of All Bailouts for Europe; as the Telegraph puts it:
‘But suggestions of a similar central pot of cash to be set up for the 27-nation EU bloc have received such a poor response that French ministers are denying it was their idea.’
The Irish are likely to get a humiliating drubbing over their cunning wheeze of guaranteeing all deposits in their banks; the Competition Commissioner, Ms Kroes is insisting on fully vetting the Irish deal when it is formally notified to Brussels. She can and probably will outlaw the plan, and the Irish will have to sallow their pride unless they want to be cut off from all the goodies…
The Prince of Darkness is earning his pay already…
October 4th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Makes me wonder what other distractions they have lined up to keep our attention away from the fiscal sewerage.
Rumours are abounding on the net something big is scheduled for the 7th October.
Nothing libellous has been printed.
But what about defamation.
I mean a certain well known couple have been known to sue for libel but
can you imagine any defamatory headlines about Fate and Ferry?
12 billion.
Prop up prop up prop up.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Tempted by the bite of the Prince of Darkness, agw?
His appointment is distracting media attention from the distinctly muted Paris meeting to discuss the European financial crisis, along with Brown’s proposal to spend the whole of the £12 billion EU small business fund in one go in propping up the banks.
Mandie is certainly earning his keep…
October 4th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
So far the newspapers are on very safe ground…nothing libellous has been printed.
There was a taint to his departure and he is accepted as the King of Spin.
He was Blair’s campaign manager for 1997 and proved his worth.
He was also the architect of New Labour at the time he was the Member of Parliament in the Labour stronghold of Hartlepool.
One of his constituents was John Darwin the canoe man who came back from the dead.
I doubt Mandelson would be able to pull off the same trick, so it’s the House of Lords for him.
He’ll fit in very well I’m told. Though one or two Labour Peers elevated after the last election are not too happy about reacquainting themselves with him.
The Ulster Unionist Peers will be deliriously overjoyed to meet up with the Former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The Rev Ian Paisley’s comment on Mandelson’s appointment at the time was: ” I never thought I’d see the day, Good God! Sodomites at Stormont.” (source for that is Mo Mowlam’s biography)
Ever one for a good sound bite was the Rev. Ian.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
“ARISE LORD SLEEZE” – Daily Mail
“Return of the Prince of Darkness” – Independent
“Lord of Darkness returns as Brown risks all” – Daily Telegraph relegates Brown down the order of peerage
“I’m Behind You” – The Sun’s slight at Mandelson’s sexuality.
______________________________________________________________
Do you think he is going to sue the tabloids for these derogatory comments?
I look at Sarah Palin and I see her as the greatest insult the Republican leaders can throw at their populace.
This is just proof that the elections have been and will be stolen again. Who will vote for her?
And then the poor brits have this fish thrown in their faces.
What else can they throw at us before we finally realise that we don’t stand a chance.
The endgame is nigh.
F–k them all.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Business Secretary in the Lords? - could be a good time to invest in Marmite mining and fudge packing.
October 4th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Yep, but when you are desperate to divert attention from the toxic slime oozing out from under the bank vault gates, and the imminent tanking of what might loosely be described as the world financial markets, opening up Mandie’s vault could work for you…
October 4th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Mr Mandelson has had a chequered career in office. Previous Cabinet terms have ended with unfortunate resignations due to being beheaded by angry villagers, burnt at the stake, wrapped in chains and thrown to the bottom of the Volga and, in one case, nuked from orbit.
My blog rant: http://tinyurl.com/4o747b
October 4th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Joh,
I’m sure that you are right, but it occurs to me that this may be a piece of spin doctor wizardry; Brown had to get attention off the tanking economy somehow, and what better way than massive guaranteed headlines on the return of the Prince of Darkness?
October 4th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Bacteria attracts bacteria. British politics.
October 4th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Dyslexic Vampires of the World, Untie!
October 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Become a Labour Party Cabinet Minister………………Resurrection guaranteed!!!!!!!!!
October 4th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
The To Buggery and Beyond Index does, at first sight, look promising, but there’s a bit of a legal snag; the Beyond Chamber of Commerce doesn’t mind the buggery bit but is objecting strongly to linkage with NuLabour in any size, shape of form.
Sadly it looks as if we are back to the drawing board, and I am pursuing negotiations on the Diana’s Knickers’ deal. I’d like to feel that you support me on this one…
October 4th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
TBB index?
October 4th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Keep it clean, please…
October 4th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
There has to be a Brown=Mandelson Mendelssohn Wedding March joke in there somewhere, but I’m b*ggered if I can find it…