The bazaars are rife with gossip. Will Mandy throw in his peerage and seek election as a MP, in order to lead what is left of the Labour Party, or to become Foreign Secretary, or even to become Prime Minister? Is this why there are constitutional changes afoot, to allow the great man to resign his life peerage?
Not a chance. This is all rubbish.
Mandelson would not get a safe seat. These either have sitting MPs or long-serving activists with their sights on the green leather benches. Throw in other obstacles as well - Mandelson is not exactly popular with the toiling classes, most of the government's initiatives have only benefitted bankers, there are procedural obstacles (all woman shortlists) and he has more enemies than friends amongst the wider party. There is one chance - if he returned to Hartlepool. Giving up a peerage to become an MP....usually the other way around for safe seats!
Nope. This is all about Mandelson sitting at the right hand of His Holiness President Tony of the Holy European Union. Mandelson will want to be the first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union...or Foreign Minister, as it would have been under the European Constitution (and probably will be if "they" get their way). Article 245 of the Treaty of Nice prevents European Commissioners holding other interests (ie. a peerage) and this tripped up Mandy's replacement as Trade Commissioner, "Baroness" Catherine Ashton, who elected to take a leave of absence from the House of Lords (but still keep the peerage) in order to take over the Trade Commissioner role. I can't see Mandy getting away with that in such a high-profile role. Neither can he.
Why bother with being Foreign Secretary of poxy Britain when you can be Foreign Secretary of the European Union???
*Update*
It occured to me: why the secrecy and disinformation? Here's why:
- Mandy loves intrigue;
- It would upset the Labour party if Mandy's ambitions were known;
- It would upset our fraternal European partners and it would undermine Blair's pitch at the job if it was thought that the two top jobs were to go to Brits. Presumably Mandy will be installed after Blair is in post.
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... with no-questions-asked expenses and no accountability.
20 July 2009 at 22:31Right up Blair's street.
I doubt he'll get the job, though.
I also doubt Blair will succeed(thankfully).....but he has nowhere else to go, so he will try his utmost.
20 July 2009 at 22:35Very interesting line of thought! It has looked for some time like he is angling for something higher; but what?
20 July 2009 at 22:39Of course, anything involving being an MP here in Britain would have the downside of being subject to finding a seat and winning it, and then of remaining in government, neither of which seems likely as matters stand.
It isn't an obvious thought for one who has only recently returned to Britain from being based in Europe to be planning to return there; but now it has been so well explained it does make a kind of sense. Well reasoned!
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