Peter Mandelson
As one hate figure for the right departs the stage, another returns, with the appointment of Peter Mandelson as secretary of state for business.
The newspapers describe this as a return for him to “government”. Well, as member of the European Commission, that’s exactly what he’s been doing in Brussels for the past four years. He is merely switching from one level of government to another.
And the way that can be done tells another story. For a Europhile like me, who wants to see the European level of government become democratic and accountable, it is rather frustrating that its political structures and coalitions can be picked apart so easily by national politics. In place of Peter Mandelson there will be from the UK Baroness Ashton, not as the result of an election or even a parliamentary process but as the result of a prime ministerial decision.
Baroness Ashton will have to go through an approval hearing in front of the EP, (something she never had to do when assuming any of her previous government jobs, I might point out) but nevertheless the notion of a coherent European political process takes a knock at a time like this.
What it goes to show is not the undesirability of European politics but rather the extent to which it is still undeveloped. For Peter Mandelson, it is more attractive to return to the UK to help Labour try to win the next general election than it is to stay in Brussels to help the Socialists try to win the EP elections next summer. That may be a pity, but it is evidently a fact, and rather undermines the case of the Eurosceptics who fear that Brussels is taking over British politics. No, Peter Mandelson is doing that, if that is any comfort to them
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Who is Baroness Ashton? I must admit that I had never heard of her. Apparently she has been Leader of the House of Lords for a year, prior to which she has held junior ministerial rank, first at Education, then at Constitutional Affairs. Her appointment shows a lack of understanding of the importance of the Trade portfolio and is driven by the anxiety of Gordon Brown to avoid another by-election. Commission President Barroso has the power to reshuffle the portfolios, although he has indicated in yesterday’s Euobserver that she will be allocated the Trade portfolio. In shifting her to a lesser portfolio (commensurate with her lesser experience), he would only have repeated what he did on the resignation of Franco Frattini in May, whose successor as Commissioner from Italy was demoted from Justice, Freedom and Security to Transport. As Richard Laming points out, she will still have to be approved by the European Parliament (EP) after questioning by its Trade Committee, whose Chairman is a member of Die Linke from Germany. It should make for an interesting hearing. Since Members of the Commission are not permitted to hold other public office and (so far as I am aware) life peerages cannot be disclaimed, we shall have to see whether Baroness Ashton’s leave of absence from the Lords will be accepted by the EP. Twenty years have passed since Lord Cockfield was a Commissioner and the EP has become more bullish in the meantime
I can’t think of many in Britain who will wlecome the news of Mandy’s return. As Andrew Rawnsley observes, the common interest tying Brown and Mandelson is trying to salvage New Labour ideology, one ‘famously relaxed’ about ‘wealth creation’ in The City. A bit late for that I’m afraid …
GWI
A big plus is that he gives a big boost to pro-European thinking in the cabinet.
Boy – some people really do not get it do they.
Richard Laming says he wants to see the European level of government become democratic and accountable.
Richard – why are you so dumb? The EU will never be democratic and accountable – it isn’t designed to be so. It is designed the way it is to be the way it is… a dictatorship. I am at a loss as to why you haven’t figured it out yet.
Take the bucket off your head and look at the world around you. Groups of individuals have tried – ever since time began, to control others. The EU is no different. This is not an organisation designed for the benefit of people like me… if it were, then they would be perfectly happy to give us the referendum we were denied because we (including me) would be all for it. The EU is an institution designed to keep power in the hands of a carefully selected few – nothing new about this and of course once again people like me have got to get off our rear ends and do something about it – which I am doing.
Baroness Ashton is a New Labour Lackey. She was made a Baroness because she does as she is told and keeps her head down… which is why you have never heard of her. She is a ‘useful idiot’