December 22, 2024 - 8:00am
In many ways, Peter Mandelson is far from the obvious choice to be US ambassador. His job over the next four years will be to get as close as possible to one of the most populist, macho and American administrations in modern history — no easy task for Britain’s most self-consciously grand and European of figures. Why not simply send for Nigel Farage instead?
Mandelson, though, has been here before. In 1999, he was dispatched by Tony Blair to Belfast and tasked with finding common ground between Ulster’s unforgiving Orangemen and their Sinn Féin opposites. Mandelson’s strategy then was not to try to play down his reputation, but to perform up to it.
He was already used to being something of a fish out of water as MP for Hartlepool, which was always a long way from the Hampstead Garden Suburb of his youth. Yet, again, he played the role expected of him, not the one others thought he needed to in order to win people over. “Beer,” he would exclaim in mock horror if he found himself in a pub. “Oh, no, you must be joking — wine for me.” He will already be preparing a similar trick in the sports bars of D.C.
In Washington, Mandelson will do what he has always done: gossip, perform and gravitate to the centre of power. In many ways, he is a made diplomat.
Starmer’s decision to appoint Mandelson is another indication of the influence of Morgan McSweeney, a close friend, ally and confidante of the former New Labour maestro. Even ensconced in the US, Mandelson will now rank as one of the most influential figures in the government, plugged into the heart of Number 10 and — in time, no doubt — closer to Donald Trump even than Starmer. It also brings Blair and his connection to Elon Musk closer to the heart of British power.
One of Trump’s most senior campaign aides, Chris LaCivita, responded to the appointment by calling Mandelson an “absolute moron”. But the new ambassador’s problem will be more structural than personal, as he is tasked with protecting Britain’s interests in Washington. At the moment, Starmer’s government believes that this amounts to preserving the existing state of affairs as much as possible: Nato, free trade and the “rules-based international order”.
Mandelson himself is something of a high priest of this order, as a former EU trade commissioner, UK business secretary and current businessman. He believes in free trade and the Atlantic alliance, protecting democracies abroad and social democracy at home. Yet, depending on the trajectory of the incoming US administration, to protect Britain’s national interests he may have to work alongside Trump to pull this order apart by securing special carve-outs for Britain in the world the President-elect is set to create.
That, then, is perhaps the greatest irony of all. Mandelson, the metropolitan New Labour European sent to Washington to advance the interests of Brexit Britain. It’s a funny old world.
Tom McTague is UnHerd’s Political Editor. He is the author of Betting The House: The Inside Story of the 2017 Election.
TomMcTague
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SubscribeSorry T Mc, but i just don’t buy this. Mandelson is what’s known colloquially as a “creep”. Those in positions of power within the Trump administration may pay lip service to his position, but his unctuosity will have them laughing behind his back.
The ability to wield a canapė may work in Islington among the ‘champagne socialist’ crowd, or in the corridors of the EU commission, but i credit the Americans with better judgement and the description of “moron” will be whispered between them, even as they smile to his face.
Mandy would have much to discuss with the Bidens about extracting millions from communist dictators. Trump and Musk? Not so much.
Mandelson is spiteful, envious and resentful – just like the rest of labour. The sensible thing would be to leave Karen Pierce in place; she’s competent and respected, but sensible this government isn’t.
I actually disagree. I despise Mandelson but if there’s any country that’s going to enamoured by snake oil salesmen like him and conned by style over substance it’s the Americans. He’ll fit in there quite well
Agreed. I think he has the capacity to be quite useful there.
We need to get our analyses a ways further down the road, than sniffy hisses about canapés and Islington.
A ridiculous fluff and puff piece.
Much as I dislike Mandelson this is a smart political move. An effective, shape shifting lizard who can tailor position to the audience. He can definitely play to Trump and cohorts egos.
Likes his yacht tips too.
I tend to agree with you. Like him (very few..) or loathe him (most..) he is a formidable political operator. More than anyone else he was responsible for “New Labour” and its successes. He is a good salesman. Of course with Blair the “product” was easy to sell, not so much the case with Starmer so he won’t try. He’ll sell Britain as a safe “ally” (as in poodle…) which will do as its told (as usual) and won’t go rogue. What he’ll get in return remains to be seen…probably very little as usual.
A puff piece for Mandelson in Unherd!
Ysterday a piece bringing in Cummings from the cold.
The office walls between the (gagged) Spectator are no match for Gove’s tentacles.
No voice for the Right here or there.
McTague’s true colours are shining.
What a con Unherd is! The Mission Statement is a lie. The title Unherd is a sick travesty.
This site is Left-consensus herd politics.
I have been a member for a few years now, and I am beginning to think the same. I’ll continue for the moment.
Then go. It’s tiresome reading comments such as yours that throw a hissy fit whenever an article writes something other than doesn’t align with your preconceived beliefs
I generally ignore comments I don’t like. I rarely reply to them. You don’t have to read mine.
It’s hard not to when you clog up the entire board with the same basic comment
If you believe that, why are you doing the same thing? You’re repeating yourself. Don’t read my comments and please don’t reply to them. You are wasting my time, your time, and everyone else’s.
Please do leave. The rest of us will suffer I know, but somehow we’ll have to get by without your unique insights.
Nothing on Sue Grey being enobled. A new low for British politics.
The media won’t touch that story. They, and Unherd, are a disgrace.
Your job is to explain what is going on not collude with the Left and hide it.
At the moment, Starmer’s government believes that this amounts to preserving the existing state of affairs as much as possible: Nato, free trade and the “rules-based international order”. – You made my day! 🙂
It’s nonsense isn’t it. What are the odds Gove wrote this and got McTague to publish it.
Some advice to McTague. Readers are not stupid and we have memories. I will remind you of the nonsense you write in other comments.
What patronising rot. I despise this Unherd.
No mention of the recording, published in the DT, where Mandelson insults Trump as a danger to the world and a racist.
Could it be that the idea is to make Trump ignore Mandelson, thereby driving us into the welcome arms of Ursula?
I think so. It is logical. Labour are playing everyone for fools, us and the Americans
As Musk said, the UK is in deep trouble.
I despise people who post 8 comments (not even replies) on a single article complaining about the exact same thing
Very unlikely that Trump and his team will forget the Labour Party lizards working for the Harris campaign. Not the first time he’s been disrespected by the Brits…Let the UK twist until Farage is in Number 10
Political Editor. Another lie. This nonsense-piece is the Left trying to control the narrative for Labour.
It is so obvious it reveals Unherd to be just a puppet, a feeble shameless rag.
This is a daft article. Ascribing some magical power to this has been. We should all be thankful that they didn’t decide to nominate the great Lord Ali to this post!,
The frightening thing is that Unherd and the Spectator are now gagged by the owner-editor combination. No criticism of Labour, or Cummings, or Gove is allowed. No criticism of Badenoch is allowed, until of course, when or if, she resists her puppet masters and tries to put distance between herself and them. No mention of what happened to the Conservative Party. How can there be when Gove and Cummings were two of the main players in its destruction?
You need to be more patient. The Conservative Party will survive but Labour have been dead men walking since November 5th. Look at the bond and interest rate spreads – the collapse in inward investment to the UK has already started. Once Trump is in the White House it will only accelerate as every penny of available capital moves to the US.
The only way that Starmer might conceivably retrieve the situation would be to unceremoniously sack Miliband and Reeves, turn on the taps in the North Sea and start fracking. He’s hardly going to do that.
The Labour Party will be gone altogether by Christmas 2029. Just hang on in there.
Career diplomats should go on strike over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to Washington, and Donald Trump should refuse to accept his credentials because of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
This would be Trump who also has ties to Epstein?
All the more reason.
Two peas in a pod, as the writer says it could turn out to be a canny appointment, irrespective of how much I despise Mandelson
Trump will either refuse to accept him or ignore him.
It is not so much that Unherd is watching from the sidelines the democratic collapse of a nation, but is party to it. Like USSR’s Pravda, but far worse because Unherd moves silently and surreptitiously, hiding in plain sight.
It is a blatant political tool.
It disgusts me.
It looks to me like Starmer has put Mandelson up as Ambassador without clearing it with the Trump team first, which I venture to suggest is very naive. Remember, Labour figures like McSweeney have been making extensive overtures in the background to build relationships with the Trump team. It is therefore inconceivable to me that LaCivita hasn’t already met various Labour people, so why did he publicly blast Mandelson like this?
Using one of his minions to insult Mandy is a very typical Trump manoeuvre to bring Starmer to heel.
I think both Starmer and Mandelson are in for a very uncomfortable time.
He responded to the radio clip when Mandelson said Trump was a racist and a danger to the world. How is Trump’s team going to respond?
The only explanation that makes sense Labour want to sabotage the UK – USA relationship. Presumably to sneak back into the EU.
Canny ? As in ridiculous and self defeating?
This writer is kidding himself. We all saw what happened when Trudeau tried to baby oil Trump and Mandelson is, if anything, even creepier. It won’t work.
Mandelson sounds like a relic from the Modern Age of diplomacy. Why not save Britain’s taxpayers a fortune and just sign him up for free accounts on Truth Social and X? That’s where all the post-modern diplomacy will happen under Trump and Musk anyway. The real question is: how’s his eyesight for typing, scrolling, and swiping?
The media destroyed Prince Andrew for maintaining his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein after the allegations, yet here they all are ignoring Mandelson’s friendship with him. Mandelson even called Epstein while he was in jail.
Mad world!!
The Left-consensus-media destroyed Andrew, played its part destroying the Conservative Party (read The Plot for all the tv and newspaper contacts who were involved) BUT protects Ali, Sue Grey, Starmer etc etc.
Think of the number of leading figures of the Right destroyed and then try to name just one leading figure of the Left destroyed by the media.
If, or more likely, when they turn on him, Farage won’t stand a chance.
Exactly kind of neo. Liberal who Trumpists despise.
For the first time, I feel sorry for Trump. It’ll be like being rubbed down with a fried egg.