Peter Mandelson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Mandelson PC
Official portrait, 2025
British Ambassador to the United States
In office 10 February 2025 – 11 September 2025
Monarch	Charles III
Prime Minister	Sir Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Dame Karen Pierce
Succeeded by	Sir Christian Turner
Ministerial positions First Secretary of State In office 5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010 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 Prime Minister Gordon Brown Preceded by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Succeeded by Nick Clegg Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills President of the Board of Trade In office 3 October 2008 – 11 May 2010 Prime Minister Gordon Brown Preceded by John Hutton Succeeded by Vince Cable In office 27 July 1998 – 23 December 1998 Prime Minister Tony Blair Preceded by Margaret Beckett Succeeded by Stephen Byers European Commissioner for Trade In office 22 November 2004 – 3 October 2008 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 Prime Minister Tony Blair Preceded by Mo Mowlam Succeeded by John Reid Minister without Portfolio In office 2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998 Prime Minister Tony Blair Preceded by Brian Mawhinney Succeeded by Charles Clarke
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Life peerage 13 October 2008 – 3 February 2026
Member of Parliament for Hartlepool
In office 9 April 1992 – 8 September 2004
Preceded by	Ted Leadbitter
Succeeded by	Iain Wright
Personal details
Born	Peter Benjamin Mandelson (1953-10-21) 21 October 1953 (age 72) Hendon, Middlesex, England
Political party	Independent (since 2026)
Other political affiliations	Labour (until 2026)
Relatives	Lord Morrison of Lambeth (grandfather)
Education	Hendon County Grammar School
Alma mater	St Catherine's College, Oxford (BA)
Signature
Nickname	Prince of Darkness

Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson (born 21 October 1953) is a British politician and diplomat. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004. He also held important roles in the Cabinets of Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. These roles included Minister without Portfolio, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and Business Secretary. From February to September 2025, he was the British Ambassador to the United States.

Mandelson was a key figure in the Labour Party. He helped reshape it into what was known as New Labour before their big election win in 1997. He was known for his skill in managing public relations and was sometimes called the "Prince of Darkness" because of his determined and media-savvy reputation. His career involved several high-profile positions, both in the UK and in Europe. However, his public service ended in early 2026 following serious concerns about his past associations and alleged misconduct.

Early Life and Education

Peter Benjamin Mandelson was born on 21 October 1953 in Hendon, Middlesex, England. His father, George Norman Mandelson, was an advertising manager. His mother, Mary Joyce, was the daughter of Herbert Morrison, a well-known politician. Mandelson grew up in Hampstead Garden Suburb.

School Days and College

Mandelson attended the Garden Suburb School. From 1965 to 1972, he went to Hendon County Grammar School. As a teenager, he joined a youth political group, showing his early interest in world events. He later studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at St Catherine's College, Oxford.

Early Career and Political Beginnings

In 1978, Mandelson attended a global youth festival in Cuba as Chairman of the British Youth Council. He was elected to Lambeth Council in 1979. He left this role in 1982, feeling disappointed with the state of politics at the time. From 1982 to 1985, he worked as a television producer for Weekend World.

Starting in Communications

In 1985, Neil Kinnock, the leader of the Labour Party, appointed Mandelson as the party's director of communications. He became known as one of the first "spin doctors" in Britain. This term describes someone who manages how the media reports on a political party or person. His determined and media-savvy approach earned him the nickname "Prince of Darkness." He helped Labour win a by-election in Fulham in 1986.

For the 1987 general election, Mandelson helped create a famous film to promote Kinnock. This film boosted Kinnock's public approval. Mandelson left his official Labour Party role in 1990. He was then chosen to be the Labour candidate for Hartlepool.

Member of Parliament for Hartlepool

Mandelson was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1992 general election. He strongly supported the European Union in his speeches. After John Smith's death in 1994, Mandelson supported Tony Blair for the Labour leadership. He believed Blair was a better communicator than Gordon Brown. This decision caused some tension between Mandelson and Brown.

Mandelson became a close friend and advisor to Blair. He directed Labour's election campaigns in 1997 and 2001, both of which Labour won.

Working in Government Roles

After Labour's victory in 1997, Mandelson became a Minister without Portfolio. His job was to coordinate work across different government departments. He also took on responsibility for the Millennium Dome project.

In July 1998, Mandelson became Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. He worked on new laws for electronic commerce and improving business competitiveness. However, he resigned in December 1998. This followed questions about a loan he received from a colleague, which he had not publicly declared.

He returned to the Cabinet in October 1999 as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He oversaw the creation of the local assembly and changes to the police service. In January 2001, he resigned again. This was after accusations of trying to influence a passport application for a businessman. An independent inquiry later found that he had not acted improperly.

In the 2001 general election, Mandelson was re-elected with a large majority. He famously said, "I am a fighter and not a quitter."

Moving to European Commissioner

Despite Labour's win in 2001, Mandelson did not immediately return to the Cabinet. He became interested in becoming the United Kingdom's European Commissioner. This role would mean he had to leave Parliament. In September 2004, he resigned his seat as MP for Hartlepool. Labour kept the seat in the by-election that followed.

On 22 November 2004, Mandelson became Britain's European Commissioner, responsible for trade. He worked on international trade agreements. During this time, he had a public disagreement with Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, about trade talks.

Addressing Concerns as Commissioner

During his time as European Commissioner, there were discussions about his meetings with wealthy business leaders. Questions were raised about whether these connections could affect his official decisions. For example, he met with the co-founder of Microsoft and a luxury goods mogul. He always stated that his actions were proper and unbiased.

There were also discussions about his pension from the European Union and whether it could create a conflict of interest with his new role in the UK government. His team stated he always focused on British interests.

Return to UK Politics

In October 2008, Mandelson left his role as Trade Commissioner. He returned to UK politics as part of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Cabinet reshuffle.

Joining the House of Lords

He was appointed Business Secretary and became a member of the House of Lords as a life peer. This move surprised many because of his past political rivalry with Brown. He was introduced to the House of Lords on 13 October 2008.

In June 2009, Mandelson was given new responsibilities. He became Lord President of the Council and First Secretary of State. His department also expanded, giving him the new title of Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. He was involved in creating new rules for online content and copyright. This led to discussions about how to manage internet access for those who illegally shared copyrighted material.

Post-Cabinet Activities

After Labour lost the 2010 general election, Mandelson's memoirs, The Third Man: Life at the Heart of New Labour, were published. In November 2010, he co-founded Global Counsel, a firm that advises businesses on how to work with governments and understand political decisions. He also served as a senior advisor to an investment banking firm and joined a board of trustees.

Mandelson remained active in politics. He attended the Bilderberg Group conferences several times. He also advised Keir Starmer on leading the Labour Party. He campaigned for Labour in the 2024 general election, which Labour won.

Ambassador to the United States

In December 2024, Prime Minister Starmer nominated Mandelson as the British Ambassador to the United States. His appointment aimed to help the UK secure trade opportunities with the US. He began his role on 10 February 2025.

He was tasked with strengthening the important relationship between the UK and the US, especially concerning trade and security. He worked to build connections within the new US administration. Mandelson played a significant role in discussions for a trade deal between the two countries.

End of Public Service

In September 2025, serious concerns arose regarding Mandelson's past associations. These concerns led to increased public scrutiny and criticism. After Mandelson declined to resign, Prime Minister Starmer dismissed him from his ambassadorial role in September 2025.

On 2 February 2026, Mandelson was reported to the Metropolitan Police regarding alleged leaking of confidential government files and possible misconduct in public office. The Cabinet Office also referred material to the police. On 3 February 2026, Mandelson resigned his membership of the Labour Party. On the same day, he also stepped down as a peer from the House of Lords.

Personal Life

Mandelson has lived with his husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, a Brazilian translator, since 1998. They married in October 2023. They have a collie dog named Jock.

In 2008, Mandelson was hospitalized with a kidney stone. In 2011, he was a guest of honour at Herbert Morrison Primary School, named after his grandfather.

Honorary Roles

Mandelson served as President of the Central School of Speech and Drama until 2008.

In 2013, he was appointed High Steward of Hull, a ceremonial position his grandfather also held. In September 2025, he was stripped of this role following the concerns about his associations.

Mandelson was also Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University from 2016 to 2024. In September 2025, the university removed his honorary doctorate and medal. In November 2025, he resigned as an honorary fellow of his college, St Catherine's College, Oxford.

In the Media

• BBC Four's Storyville (2010) featured Mandelson: The Real PM?, a documentary about his time as Business Secretary.
• Mandelson has been portrayed by actors in several TV dramas, including Paul Rhys in The Deal (2003) and Mark Gatiss in Coalition (2015).
• The character Sebastian Love in the comedy series Little Britain was based on Mandelson.

Honours

• Appointed as a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (1998)
• UK Baron (2008)
• Grand Officer, Order of the Star of Italy (2016)
• Officer, Légion d'honneur (2017)
• Received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) from Manchester Metropolitan University (13 June 2016, revoked on 12 September 2025)
• Freedom of the Borough of Hartlepool (12 March 2010, revoked on 2 October 2025)

Images for kids

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  Official portrait, 2004

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  Mandelson and US President George W. Bush in February 2005

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  Mandelson (left) with Gordon Brown at the Progressive Governance Conference, February 2010

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  Mandelson in 2007

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  Mandelson and US President Donald Trump in June 2025

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  Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced political pressure regarding the scandal.

See also

In Spanish: Peter Mandelson para niños