Peter Mandelson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Mandelson
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| Ambassador-designate of the United Kingdom to the United States | |
| Assuming office TBD |
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| Monarch | Charles III |
| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
| Succeeding | Dame Karen Pierce |
| First Secretary of State | |
| In office 5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | John Prescott |
| Succeeded by | William Hague |
| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon |
| Succeeded by | Nick Clegg |
| Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills President of the Board of Trade |
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| In office 3 October 2008 – 11 May 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | John Hutton |
| Succeeded by | Vince Cable |
| In office 27 July 1998 – 23 December 1998 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Margaret Beckett |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Byers |
| European Commissioner for Trade | |
| In office 22 November 2004 – 3 October 2008 |
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| President | José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | Pascal Lamy |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Ashton |
| Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 11 October 1999 – 24 January 2001 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Mo Mowlam |
| Succeeded by | John Reid |
| Minister without Portfolio | |
| In office 2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Brian Mawhinney |
| Succeeded by | Charles Clarke |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 13 October 2008 Life peerage |
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| Member of Parliament for Hartlepool |
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| In office 9 April 1992 – 8 September 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Ted Leadbitter |
| Succeeded by | Iain Wright |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Peter Benjamin Mandelson
21 October 1953 Hendon, Middlesex, England |
| Political party | |
| Spouse |
dom Reinaldo Avila da Silva
(m. 2023) |
| Relatives | Lord Morrison of Lambeth (grandfather) |
| Alma mater | St Catherine's College, Oxford |
| Signature |  |
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson (born 21 October 1953), is a British politician from the Labour Party. He has held many important roles in government. From 2009 to 2010, he was the First Secretary of State, a senior position in the UK government. He also served as President of the Board of Trade twice, in 1998 and from 2008 to 2010.
From 2004 to 2008, Mandelson was the UK's representative in the European Commission, working as the European Commissioner for Trade. Before that, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004. In 2008, he became a Lord, which is part of the UK Parliament's upper house.
In the late 1980s, Mandelson was the Labour Party's director of communications. He was known for being very good at managing how the media saw the party. This led to him being called a "spin doctor" and even "Prince of Darkness" because of his strong influence. He played a key role in changing the Labour Party into what was called "New Labour" before their big win in the 1997 general election.
Mandelson held several important jobs in the Cabinet under Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He stepped down from Cabinet roles twice but later returned to government a third time as a Lord. He is the only First Secretary of State to serve from the House of Lords. Mandelson is also known for having a significant influence on the current Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer.
Today, Mandelson is the president of an international research group called Policy Network. He also chairs a company called Global Counsel, which advises businesses. In December 2024, he was chosen to be the next UK Ambassador to the United States, starting in 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Family Background
Peter Mandelson was born in Hendon, Middlesex, on 21 October 1953. His mother was Mary Joyce Morrison and his father was George Norman Mandelson. His father's family was Jewish. His grandfather had started a synagogue. His father, known as Tony, worked as an advertising manager and served as an officer in the Royal Dragoons during the Second World War.
On his mother's side, Mandelson is the grandson of Herbert Morrison. Herbert Morrison was a well-known Labour politician who led the London County Council and was a Cabinet Minister. Mandelson grew up in Hampstead Garden Suburb. He says his childhood there shaped his friendships and values.
School Years
Mandelson went to Garden Suburb School. From 1965 to 1972, he attended Hendon County Grammar School. In 1966, when he was a teenager, he acted in a play called The Winslow Boy with a local theatre group. During his teenage years, he joined the Young Communist League. He did this because he disagreed with the UK's support for the US in the Vietnam War. After school, he studied at St Catherine's College, Oxford.
Starting His Career
In the late 1970s, Peter Mandelson became the Chairman of the British Youth Council. In this role, he attended a big youth festival in Cuba in 1978. He was elected to the Lambeth Borough Council in 1979 but left in 1982. He felt disappointed with how Labour politics was at the time.
From 1982 to 1985, Mandelson worked as a TV producer for London Weekend Television. He worked on a show called Weekend World. There, he became friends with his boss, John Birt.
Political Journey
Leading Labour's Communications
In 1985, Neil Kinnock, the leader of the Labour Party, chose Mandelson to be the party's director of communications. He was one of the first people in Britain to be called a "spin doctor". This term describes someone who manages how the media presents a political party or person. He was also nicknamed "the Prince of Darkness" because of his strong influence.
Mandelson helped Labour win a by-election in Fulham in 1986. For the 1987 general election, he hired film director Hugh Hudson to make a special TV broadcast for Neil Kinnock. This film helped improve Kinnock's public image. Although Labour didn't win the election, they gained more seats. Mandelson stopped being a Labour Party official in 1990. He was then chosen to be the Labour candidate for Hartlepool, a constituency that was considered safe for Labour.
As a Member of Parliament
Mandelson was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1992 general election. He often spoke about his strong support for the European Union. After John Smith, the Labour leader, suddenly passed away in 1994, Mandelson supported Tony Blair for the leadership. He believed Blair was a better speaker than Gordon Brown. This decision caused some tension between Mandelson and Brown, even though they had been allies.
Mandelson played a big part in Blair's leadership campaign. In 1994, he even used a secret nickname, "Bobby," to hide his important role. After Blair won, Mandelson became a close and trusted advisor. He was also the campaign director for the 1997 general election, which Labour won by a large margin.
Minister without Portfolio
After the 1997 election, Mandelson was appointed as a Minister without Portfolio. His job was to help different parts of the government work together. Later, he also became responsible for the Millennium Dome project. This was a large exhibition building built for the year 2000 celebrations. The project faced some challenges, including a difficult opening night.
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In July 1998, Mandelson joined the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. He worked on new laws for the "Millennium Bug" and electronic commerce. He also aimed to make British businesses more competitive.
Mandelson stepped down from this role in December 1998. This happened after it was reported that he had received a loan from a Cabinet colleague. He had not publicly declared this loan.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Mandelson returned to the Cabinet ten months later, in October 1999. He became Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, taking over from Mo Mowlam. In this role, he helped create the devolved legislative assembly and the power-sharing executive. He also oversaw changes to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
On 24 January 2001, Mandelson stepped down from the government again. This followed questions about whether he had used his position to help with a passport application for an Indian businessman. An independent inquiry later found that Mandelson had not acted improperly. After being re-elected in the 2001 general election, Mandelson famously said: "I am a fighter and not a quitter."
Becoming a European Commissioner
Even though Labour won the 2001 election, Mandelson did not get another Cabinet job right away. He became interested in becoming the UK's European Commissioner. This role would mean he had to resign from Parliament. His appointment was announced in summer 2004. On 8 September 2004, Mandelson resigned his seat as an MP. Labour kept the seat in the 2004 Hartlepool by-election, with Iain Wright becoming the new MP.
On 22 November 2004, Mandelson became Britain's European Commissioner, responsible for trade. He left this role in October 2008 to return to UK politics. As a former EU Commissioner, he was entitled to a pension when he turned 65. There were some claims in the media that this pension might be affected if he criticized the EU. However, the website Full Fact reported in 2019 that these claims were not true. They stated that former EU staff members can criticize the EU without losing their pensions.
Returning to the Cabinet
On 3 October 2008, Gordon Brown brought Mandelson back into the government. He was given a new role as Business Secretary. To take this job, he was made a life peer, which meant he became a member of the House of Lords. On 13 October 2008, he became Baron Mandelson. He was introduced to the House of Lords on the same day.
After returning to government, Mandelson supported plans to expand Heathrow Airport. In March 2009, a protester threw green custard at him because of his support for a third runway at Heathrow. In a Cabinet change on 5 June 2009, Mandelson was given even more responsibilities. He became Lord President of the Council and was given the honorary title of First Secretary of State. His department was also expanded, and he became Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. He also continued as President of the Board of Trade.
In August 2009, it was reported that Mandelson had pushed for "technical measures," like disconnecting internet access, to be included in the Digital Economy Act 2010. This was aimed at reducing online copyright infringement. An information request later showed that Mandelson had decided on these measures before public discussions were finished.
In September 2009, Mandelson received a very positive welcome at the Labour Party conference. This was seen as a sign that he had become more popular among Labour members.
After Government Roles
After the Labour Party lost the 2010 general election, Mandelson published his memoirs in July 2010. The book was called The Third Man: Life at the Heart of New Labour. Around this time, he became the President of the international research group Policy Network. In November 2010, Mandelson co-founded Global Counsel, a company that advises businesses worldwide.
Mandelson has been an invited guest at the Bilderberg Group conferences several times. In 2011, he became a senior advisor to the investment banking firm Lazard. In 2013, he joined the Board of Trustees for Deutsche Bank's Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft. There was also talk that he might be a candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund or the World Trade Organization.
In 2012, Mandelson confirmed he was advising Asia Pulp & Paper (APP). This company faced criticism for its logging practices in Indonesia. In 2013, he was appointed to the role of High Steward of Hull, a ceremonial position that his grandfather, Herbert Morrison, had also held.
After Jeremy Corbyn became the leader of the Labour Party in 2015, Mandelson believed Labour would not win an election. He later admitted he was wrong after the 2017 UK general election, where Labour gained seats. However, after the 2019 general election, where Labour suffered a big defeat, Mandelson said the result was "not undeserved" and blamed Corbyn's leadership.
During the 2016 EU referendum, Mandelson supported the "Remain" campaign, which wanted the UK to stay in the European Union. After the UK voted to leave, he strongly supported having a second referendum. In 2020, he showed interest in becoming the head of the World Trade Organization, but the UK government nominated someone else.
In 2021, it was reported that Mandelson was advising Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. He was helping Starmer move the party forward and appeal to more voters. Mandelson is also a regular guest on a podcast called How To Win An Election. In 2024, he ran for Chancellor of the University of Oxford but did not win.
Ambassador to the United States
In December 2024, Peter Mandelson was chosen to be the next UK Ambassador to the United States. He is expected to start this important role in January 2025. This will be at the beginning of the Trump presidency.
Some people in the US, including an adviser to the incoming President, have commented on Mandelson's past criticisms of Donald Trump. Mandelson had previously described Trump as "reckless and a danger to the world."
Other Activities
Until 2008, Mandelson was the President of the Central School of Speech and Drama. In 2011, he was a special guest at Herbert Morrison Primary School, which was named after his grandfather. In April 2016, Lord Mandelson became the Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University. This is a ceremonial leadership role at the university.
In the Media
- A 2010 documentary called Mandelson: The Real PM? showed his work as Business Secretary.
- He has been played by actors in several TV dramas:
- Paul Rhys in The Deal (2003)
- Mark Gatiss in Coalition (2015)
- Nigel Planer in The Hunt for Tony Blair (2011)
- The character Sebastian Love from the TV show Little Britain was based on Mandelson.
Honours and Awards
UK Baron (2008)
Grand Officer, Order of the Star of Italy (2016)
Officer, Légion d'honneur (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Peter Mandelson para niños
