Brown and Mandy

A couple of features in today’s paper discussing the effect of Peter Mandelson’s return to the frontline of British politics. Interesting nuggets of information if you are looking at the power of the PM and the idea that some ministers are closer to the ear of the leader than others.

Sketch writer Ann Treneman takes an amusing look at Mandy the manipulator here:

‘Lord Mandelson slid into the gallery in the Commons to watch PMQs, fresh from a morning of intense media activity. I must say that, as of yesterday, there is no doubt that Peter Mandelson is the Deputy Prime Minister in all but name. Indeed he may be more than that. Perhaps it is Gordon Brown who is the deputy now. Certainly their fates are totally intertwined.

I would love, just once, to be able to see the chamber as Lord Mandelson does. The man who behaves as if he is always being observed looks down on Gordon Brown proudly, eyes never leaving the scene below. Is he the great puppeteer? As Mr Brown answered his first planted question - Labour’s propaganda is now brazen - I definitely saw Mandy’s hands start to twitch.’

A few pages later Anatole Kaletsky discusses the Prince of Darkness’s influence over Brown on the economy:

‘Another week, another sentence I never expected to write: Peter Mandelson has saved the skin of Gordon Brown - and, in the process, has done the right thing for British politics and the economy.’ Read the rest here