Peter Mandelson today made a sensational return to the Government as Gordon Brown’s Cabinet reshuffle got under way.
The 54-year-old will be quitting his post as European Trade Commissioner in Brussels to return to London to replace John Hutton as Business Secretary.
Former foreign secretary Margaret Beckett also made a comeback as “Cabinet Enforcer” - as one of the Prime Minister’s top advisors.
News of arch-Blairite Mandelson’s controversial return sent shockwaves through Westminster, given the fact that Mr Brown and Mr Mandelson have been the best of enemies for more than a decade.
However, it is believed the pair have been in regular contact during the last few weeks - with Mr Mandelson also attending the Labour Party Conference in Manchester last week.
Mr Mandelson returns to the top table for the third time, having twice resigned as Trade Secretary and then Northern Ireland Secretary due to unproven charges of corruption over a mortgage loan from millionaire Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson in 1998 and the Hinduja Brothers passport scandal in 2001.
It has been seen as a sign of Mr Brown attempting to beef up his economic team.
But the move provoked a mixed reaction from politicians with former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who twice resigned himself, describing the appointment as a “masterstroke”.
Labour MP John McDonnell, who challenged Mr Brown for the Labour Party leadership, said it was “an extraordinary step backwards into the worst elements of the Blair era”.
The change means Mr Hutton will replace Des Browne as Secretary of Defence.
Chief Whip Geoff Hoon is the new Transport Secretary - taking over from Ruth Kelly who today announced she was stepping down as MP of Bolton West at the next general election and whose resignation from the Cabinet triggered the reshuffle - with Nick Brown stepping into Mr Hoon’s shoes.
A new Energy and Climate Change department is to be headed by Ed Miliband.
By Sunita Patel
9 Comments
How desperate is GB to get the Pink Vote?
I quite like Mandelson, nice to have a maverick about, but lets face it, he hasn’t been elected as a MP by the electorate yet he will be making decisions on behalf of the electorate.
We seem to have economic circumstances reminisant of the 1930’s and our democracy seem to becoming similar to Germany in the 1930’s!
Well that gives me confidence in a party that won’t be in next time..
let us hope mandy will undo some of the damage done by john hutton and reopen some closed post offices
Brown obviously wants to take us back to the Bliar years. What has Margaret Beckett got, the biggest joke of a Foreign Minister that this country ever had, it seems that we have a Cabinet made up of comedians and what is the “Cabinet Enforcer” if Nick Brown is Chief Whip. The item says that Becket is one of Brown’s “top” advisors, god forbid, just what can she advise, how to tow a caravan. That must be the ultimate insult to the British people.
This reshuffle is further proof, if ever it was needed, that Brown has got a death wish for himself and his government.
Another nail in the Labour coffin!
More spin and deceit on the way
You can shuffle the idiots, but you still have a cabinet of idiots.
Give us what we want! an election and a say on Europe
Gutless Clown
gb has strengthened his team, and brought mandelson in to organise the next labour election victory in may 2010, amongst many other things
Mandelson isn’t even an MP! I await his third resignation.
ya ya we are going to win now, peter is ok by me really as atleast he’s into money and not such a poor lover like the rest of the leftie loons in the labour party, any how, who cares its really all academic, when we are back in we’ll put him on the dole just to teach him a lesson, then we can get on with cutting taxes and getting rid of all this waste in the NHS like nurses and drugs and things, silly labour with their caring sharing ways, it will never work, people like to compete! especailly now times are hard, its every man for himself
welcome back harold, you may be right although once a lord always a lord. er once a knight is normally enough