Happy anniversary, Mandy
Peter Hoskin 9:23am
As anniversaries go, it's a fairly ignominious one. But it's still worth noting that Peter Mandelson's first resignation from the Cabinet - over a home loan from the then Paymaster General, Geoffrey Robinson - took place exactly ten years ago today. For posterity's sake, here's The Spectator's leader column on the matter (from the issue dated 2 January):
Question is: will we have to write about another Mandelson resignation before the next election?"This page can claim to have been prescient about Mr Mandelson. Our 9 August 1997 issue had a leader headed: `Go, and spin no more.'`Until election day, 1 May, Mr Mandelson's problem was Labour,' it began. `On 1 May, Mr Mandelson served his primary purpose. He got Labour elected. Since then, he has become something of a bar to getting it re-elected.'
Mr Mandelson was then Minister without Portfolio. He had hardly anything to do except spin. We commented that we did not believe Mr Mandelson's talents were confined to spinning. The government was in for five years. We all had a vested interest in its success, including business and influences which still preferred the Tories. `He might well be good at governing,' we mused. At the first reshuffle, he should be given an orthodox department. `There,' we concluded, `he should toil rather than spin.'
He was indeed given a department. His friends and apologists say how honourable he was to resign from it so quickly, once Mr Robinson's payment became known. But he did not go quickly. Nor did he go for the right reasons. Had it not been for the Guardian, he would not have gone even when he did. His defenders compare his departure to other honourable resignations, such as Lord Carrington's over the loss of the Falklands. But such resignations were as a result of public acts. Mr Mandelson has been forced out over a secret, grubby loan.
Mr Mandelson told the Prime Minister about the loan five days or so before the Guardian story. Mr Mandelson did not immediately offer his resignation, nor did the Prime Minister ask for it. Instead, the two decided to wait, to tough it out, to see how it 'played' once it appeared. There was even some suggestion of leaking the story themselves to a paper other than the Guardian - for some dark reason only understood by those better versed in the spinner's arts than ourselves. After the Guardian's scoop, Mr Mandelson spent a day in the television and radio studios denying that he had done anything wrong. On the night before he went, television news bulletins reported No. 10's assurance that there would be no resignation. Mr Mandelson only resigned when he realised that his spinning had not worked and that the following day's press was overwhelmingly against him. (His apologists only got to work after he resigned.) He spun to the edge of his political grave, and stopped only because the media - by the manipulation of which he had lived and died - pushed him in to it.
The Prime Minister continued to assert that Mr Mandelson had done no wrong. Why then did he resign? The only conclusion consistent with the chronology of events is that he resigned because `it didn't look good' in the papers, didn't sound good in the soundbites.
That is true. It did indeed look bad. But it also was bad. We cannot have rich Cabinet ministers subsidising poor ones, or at least ones who want to live vastly beyond their means. Most of us live beyond our means, but not on this scale; and not on money from people whom we may have to advise a prime minister to dismiss.
Mr Mandelson's departure gives Mr Blair a chance to abandon a politics based mainly on appearances, on what will play in the media. He must do things because they are right, not because they look good. This resignation does not leave a vacuum at the heart of the government. It now turns out that Mr Mandelson was the vacuum. He was a moral vacuum."
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Scottish Cheeselog
December 23rd, 2008 9:57am Report this commentOh, I do hope so. Can I put it on my letter to Santa?
Your description of him as a moral vacuum is beautifully accurate. A fitting partner for Gordon Brown, whose morals consist of the devices and desires of his own empty heart, and whose compass includes only his own lust for power.
Kevyn Bodman
December 23rd, 2008 10:34am Report this commentIt depends when the next election is. If it's in Feb 2009 then Mandelson might not have had to resign.
If it's in 2010 then Mandelson's devious, duplicitous and deceitful character (CoffeeHousers might add more adjectives) will have caused him to do something for which he has to take the 'honourable' course and resign.
But of course his resignation 10 years ago was not honourable. They rarely are;Carrington's was an exception.
Mandelson's behaviour that caused his first resignation was dishonourable.
The second one wasn't different in that respect.
Ted Wooller
December 23rd, 2008 10:45am Report this commentI am sorry but at this time of peace and good will to all men I can think of nothing but bad to say about this person. I have seen men and women go to prison for less than his 'known misdemeanors' and here he is Lording it over us, being paid huge amounts by the tax payer. I am looking forward to the day when it is third strike and out - for good.
cuffleyburgers
December 23rd, 2008 11:48am Report this commentAt least he no longer has to live beyond his means.
His stint on the Brussels gravy train (at our expense, natch) ensures that.
Steve.W
December 23rd, 2008 12:34pm Report this commentPerhaps it will be different this time? Lord Mandy has grown up now and his boyish traits are behind him. No longer obsessed with the democratic side of things he is now keen on business. His friend Ben Wegg-Prosser works for a rich Russian so Mandy could too. And thus be spared all that boring stuff, the debates for example. The money is better too.
Ivy Eileen
December 23rd, 2008 12:50pm Report this commentPurlease - can we stop having all this coverage (much of it trivial - e.g. Strictly Come Dancing)about this odious individual. This is Hello magazine standard of journalism. There are more important things in the wider world.
celeste 1900
December 23rd, 2008 1:24pm Report this commentthis is one guy who has feathered his nest with the best that us taxpayers can provide and will continue to do so for many years to come as so many in the upper house seem to
Bob
December 23rd, 2008 2:37pm Report this commentI there a more loathsome hoon in politics?
Verity
December 23rd, 2008 2:42pm Report this commentPerhaps the waning of this government is the fag end, so to speak, of Mandelson's defacement of British public life. And this is public life that carries a lot of louche luggage, don't forget, including the Speaker, Mr Airmiles.
JohnAnt
December 23rd, 2008 3:03pm Report this commentIf Mandy is a moral vacuum, then it's one with a special attachment for scooping up privileges, and a replaceable bag that can be fitted every time the previous one clogged with too much dirt.
45govt
December 24th, 2008 2:08pm Report this commentBob @2.37 - no, that Mandelscum is an utter hoon must surely be incontrovertible.
Paul D Hill
December 24th, 2008 4:51pm Report this commentI believe that evidence that Lord Madelson is a Hoon may have been surpressed PRIOR to the Select Committee report into his appointment
If so it reflects very badly on the Permanent Under Secretary at the DTI and the committee itself.
Why were the Speccie and other parts of the MSM not aware of this
richard white
December 24th, 2008 7:46pm Report this commentI have to agree with Bob and 45govt, Mr Mandelson is truly a Hoon.
David G. Garkhill
December 24th, 2008 8:20pm Report this commentIt is my confirmed belief that this man, Mandleson, is a complete and utter Hoon.
fredman
December 25th, 2008 7:58pm Report this commentMandleson was the Hoon invented zanu labour. Had to resign twice from the cabinet in disgrace, a record if it hadn't been for that other Hoon, Blunket. now that one eyed Hoon has made him a lord!! Now we're stuck with the slippery Hoon for the rest of his life, Merry Xmas.
Mrs Trellis
December 25th, 2008 9:18pm Report this commentYup he is a Hoon for sure, and he takes us all for Hoons too.
Grizzela Guid
December 27th, 2008 12:35pm Report this commentMandleson is a corrupt, mendacious, nasty little hoon,and it shows how desperate this government is to bring him back, power corrupts,and brings the House of Lords down with it.
Jeremy Poynton
December 28th, 2008 5:27pm Report this commentHoon of Hoons
For ever
For ever
For he shall Hoon for ever and ever more.
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