Mandelson and Draper: in conversation

Fascinating stuff.  PoliticsHome have published the full leaked email exchange between Peter Mandelson and Derek Draper which the Mail on Sunday reported this morning.  To be honest, I think Mandelson’s comments about Brown are far less cruel than the Mail cover would have you believe.  Sure, he drops words like “angry” and “insecure”; but within a portrait of Brown that even many of his allies would agree with, or even think a little generous.  Aside from that, the references to Draper and Mandelson’s history (Mandelson: “Don’t worry about the past. You were a shit to me, as you were to Ben, but it is in the past.”) are all good stuff for political anoraks.

While we’re on the subject of Mandelson, it’s worth catching up on his remarkable interview with Marr this morning.  Rarely will you see as haughty or as dominant a performance by an interviewee.  Yet another reason to believe that Mandy is the one holding everything together for Brown.