Jul/10
16:55 2
Strange bedfellows: George Galloway comes out fighting for Peter Mandelson
Lord Mandelson probably wouldn’t expect to be supported in anything by John Prescott. However beyond the former DPM prominent figures from Labour’s past and present have been lining up to denounce Mandy’s memoir. However the Noble and Learned Gentleman today received support from an unusual ally, one George Galloway. In his regular column for Scotland’s Daily Record, Gorgeous George said:
It’s hard to understand the outpouring of rage against Peter Mandelson over his book The Third Man. Everybody writes books at the end of a political era, some even before it ends. Two of Mandy’s critics, David Blunkett and John Prescott, published largely unread tripe now not even available in the bargain book basket at Morrisons.
Perhaps Mandy could become RESPECT’s first peer..?
Jul/10
12:40 3
Peter Mandelson releases batch of 1987-1997 papers
UPDATE: Tweetminster have now uploaded the documents, all linked below. Mandelson was on very good form depsite illness cutting short an interview with The Guardian yesterday. “This chat is on the record. But whatever you do …”, he said darkly as the assembled bloggers half-expected a Mandelson threat of New Labour folklore, “please link to the Amazon page“! Anthony Painter has a substantive overview of the 90 minute event, including Mandelson’s plea to “rock the f**cking boat”.
A couple of the Scrapbook team are currently en route back from a bloggers’ briefing from the Dark Lord himself, where a small batch of Mandelson’s papers were released.
The source material includes:
- A note from the General Secretary of the Labour Party to Mandelson regarding the 1987 election campaign
- A diary entry from 1989 discussing the “future leaders” Blair and Brown
- Mandelson’s note to Blair on Clause IV
- A letter to Blair dated December 1995 outlining general election strategy
- Mandelson’s strategy for the last ten days of the 1997 election
- A note to Blair following New Labour’s victory
- A letter from Mandelson to Blair setting out his role in government, entitled “my job”
We’ll be posting the whole lot in full. In the meantime, however, enjoy this alternative memoir advert from the inimitable Beau Bo D’Or:
Jul/10
18:52 1
John Prescott compares Peter Mandelson to a meerkat in spoof memoir advert
Having likened Peter Mandelson as a crab thirteen years ago, the newly web-savvy David John Prescott has turned to the internets to poke fun at his memoirs:
As of 8 July at least the two rivals have one thing in Commons, ahem sorry, common. Both being peers of the realm, perhaps they can have a friendly joke about this on those cosy red benches?
A reprise of This Week’s take on Prezza’s introduction seems appropriate:
Jul/10
17:29 5
Peter Mandelson to release archive source material to bloggers at breakfast briefing
Peter Mandelson is to provide political bloggers with exclusive access to archive source material used for his book The Third Man. Those attending a breakfast briefing this Friday will be provided with copies of the documents under a Creative Commons license. These will only be offered to other media after a period of three days.
A source at publishers HarperCollins told Scrapbook:
The material will be a selection of diary entries, letters and memos to and from Peter Mandelson. Some of this material is referenced in the book directly, though not all of it. The papers relate to key points in Peter’s career from the late 1980’s through to the eve of the 1997 election. This material will be released exclusively to a selection of political bloggers at the breakfast on Friday and then to wider media on Monday, along with more material relating to Peter’s career post 1997.
The Times’ serialisation TV spots kicked off at the weekend, casting Mandy as a rather sinister storyteller. Shorter adverts on the Blair/Brown pact and coalition talks are set to run during the week.
Borrowing its title from a screenplay and novella of the same name, similarities with Graham Greene’s “Third Man” take the reference beyond a simple one to Mandelson’s stature within New Labour. A shadowy and ruthless figure who seemed to come back from the dead, the fictional Harry Lime was also given to threatening junior ministers and journalists those who crossed his path.
Remind you of anyone?
UPDATE: The book’s introduction backs up our little theory:
“Through much of our time in government, my influence was exercised largely behind the scenes, sometimes in the shadows – another reason why the title’s echo of Graham Greene’s story of post-war Vienna seemed appropriate.” - The Third Man, p. xvii
Dec/09
11:07 1
Machiavellian Mandelson to raise Princely sum
As an impoverished blogger, Scrapbook takes some small comfort from the fact that even (former city trader) Guido Fawkes was outbid on this copy of Machiavelli’s The Prince signed by Peter Mandelson. The charity auction is now up to £380:
Could probably stretch to £10 for Brant’s The Ship Of Fools signed by the Tory front bench.
Oct/09
17:59 1
Not so happy birthday for Peter Mandelson, the “minister without responsibility”
So the strikes are going ahead. Urging the government and Royal Mail’s top management, including chief executive Adam Crozier, to engage directly in talks, CWU general secretary Billy Hayes repeatedly referred to Peter Mandelson as “the minister without responsibility”.
No birthday cake or party hat for Billy.
Oct/09
14:44 3
Look who’s 56. Happy birthday, Peter!
Take it away, Barry:
Well at least his birthday cards won’t be late in the post!
Aug/09
08:56 1
Well he didn’t get Tangoed in Foy or Hartlepool
The silly season silliness continues apace. Three days after Scrapbook noted Peter Mandelson’s bronzed red complexion post-Corfu, The Sun is in there with “Tango Mango”! The Guardian followed up with a brilliant run-down of “politicians who know when they’ve been Tangoed”. Try and guess who wins (it isn’t the First Secretary of State).
Anyone would think Parliament is in recess or something.
Aug/09
16:53 1
Mandy returns (but don’t step on his blue suede loafers)
Peter Mandelson might be able to run the country via Blackberry from Corfu but his technique for applying sun cream leaves a lot to be desired on the basis of his red face/white eyes appearance on News at Noon:
The Torygraph even has a delightful run down of his snappy ‘returning from holiday’ ensemble:
Accompanied by the interior designer Nicky Haslam, a fellow guest of the Rothschilds for the week, he cut a distinctive figure as he arrived at the easyJet check-in desk at Corfu Airport, dressed in a Panama hat, chinos and blue suede loafers with socks.
Alan Partridge eat your heart out!
UPDATE: Scrapbook has just located exclusive footage of Peter Mandelson’s holiday wardrobe, as modelled by Alan Partridge:
It’s the look that says: “I’m in control of the country”!
Jul/09
10:44 1
While the cat’s away…
UPDATE: PS now wondering about the appropriateness of a cat/mouse metaphor for Gordon and Mandy in that order. Perhaps the other way around?
While Scrapbook was counting the ways in which Lembit Opik is a complete and utter **** (pick your own expletive) it transpired that our First Secretary of State doesn’t plan to waste any of Gordon’s holiday. In an interview with Nick Robinson on Newsnight he discussed Labour’s prospects at the next election and admitted the party were the “underdogs”.
Not much reaction on the blogs from anyone other than Dale but you can read Nick Robinson’s thoughts here.
You can get the interview here or watch the full programme on BBC iPlayer.
Well worth a look.
