Lord Peter Mandelson UK’s ambassador to the USA

love0c

Trump will eat him for breakfast. Trump is a very clever man. Unlike Mandelson who just thinks he is!

Was that meant to be ironic?

Trump very clever?
Cunning, manipulative but that is different from intelligent.

Trump will eat him for breakfast. Trump is a very clever man. Unlike Mandelson who just thinks he is!

I think they will get on very well.
They will recognise a kindred spite in one another.
Both are crooks and very very good at manipulating people.

This is not a job for a 'decent' person!

Poor choice. Not a decent person. I doubt you would find one in Labour.

DT is very thin skinned and has a good memory for those who insult him. The choice for Ambassador should have gone to a person with a clean record on that score.

PoliticsNerd

I do wonder if the reasons for sending Mandelson have been accurately assessed by posters. Also, making such a political appointment is hardly a first.

Many in the country still seem to assume that this government's aims are the same as the lasts, or that they mirror their own. Even the ultra-right Tories, decimated in number in the last election, carried on in Parliament as if they were in government, not opposition. In the process they have made themselves look immature, weak and yet to understand how democracy works. They have all the the insight of an arrogant new university student, who did well at school and think they are a) very clever and b) know everything about how the world they have entered works. Such views are soon disabused.

May I suggest that looking at what Starmer's government is trying to achieve will give more insight into why Lord Peter Mandelson has been appointed than reading the comic level reporting of our (so called) main stream media. There are days when it sounds more Desperate Dan than decisive debate.

Are you having a laugh?

Freya5

A Bill Gates look alike. The Prince of Darkness. The King of spin. Sacked by Blair for not telling about a loan. Then again after a passport scandal involving the Hinduja brothers.
Thought he could be the next Oxford Chancellor, failed.
What a choice for the most important diplomatic role for the UK.

It’s a stupid choice for ambassador isn’t it? Trump already dislikes Starmer for sending Labour activists across there to help Kamala Harris, now we have Mandelson arriving in an important diplomatic role when he’s slagged off Trump publicly.Just unbelievable really.

David49 your points are well made.

I should have said "some" posters in the first line. No edit facility!

I do wonder if the reasons for sending Mandelson have been accurately assessed by posters. Also, making such a political appointment is hardly a first.

Many in the country still seem to assume that this government's aims are the same as the lasts, or that they mirror their own. Even the ultra-right Tories, decimated in number in the last election, carried on in Parliament as if they were in government, not opposition. In the process they have made themselves look immature, weak and yet to understand how democracy works. They have all the the insight of an arrogant new university student, who did well at school and think they are a) very clever and b) know everything about how the world they have entered works. Such views are soon disabused.

May I suggest that looking at what Starmer's government is trying to achieve will give more insight into why Lord Peter Mandelson has been appointed than reading the comic level reporting of our (so called) main stream media. There are days when it sounds more Desperate Dan than decisive debate.

Mandelson certainly understands trade negotiations and of course personal insults are stock in trade for politics.

Whatever concessions we get are going to be matched by concessions to the US, we have take care because if we want closer ties with EU, any concessions that allow US import the EU does not accept will cause other problems

Starmer needs people whose strings he can pull. He is showing more and more how unsuitable he is to govern this country.

He's just the man for this tricky job.

Just when the US thought things couldn't get any worse than another dose of Trump, up pops the Prince of Darkness to add to the jollifications.

Vito

An inspired post. Mandleson is more than a match for Trump and his ilk.
He is as slippery and devious as an eel, exactly what is needed.

You could be right.
He may appeal to Trump as he has a chequered reputation and has been described as manipulative.
Two good matches.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Donald Trump divides the world into friends and enemies. The charmless, dubious Mandelson will never obtain a free-trade deal while the British government mounts a China charm offensive. Trump will see our man in Washington as China’s man in London. This will confirm everything his friend Nigel Farage says about the corruption of Britain’s elite, and confirm Farage as the real link between Trump and the UK.

I am sorry, I think you so wrong. Mandelson, is certainly not charmless and he is a successful and astute negotiator. His rise in politics and wealth has been as a result of his ability to exercise his networking and negotiating skills to his own advantage.

Do not make the mistake of underrating someone's abilities because you, personally, do not like them.

David49

petal53

However if Trump’s aids think he is a moron they are sadly mistaken and will find him to be a wily and slippery character I think.

They have both voiced contempt for each other so mutual dislike is the starting point, in reality little of the actual negotiation is going to be face to face with Trump, I’m not expecting any favours from the US. There is one area that US wants access - US food, Beef, GM cereals, Poultry, I hope that is not on the agenda for a deal.

There is one area that US wants access - US food, Beef, GM cereals, Poultry, I hope that is not on the agenda for a deal.

So do I. But I think it might be.

Of course, we can - at present - choose what we put in our shopping baskets if we are concerned about the country of origin vis-à-vis food standards.

According to Which?...

Labelling could also be open to challenge as part of the trade deal, as the US takes a different approach to labelling of production methods, and has previously challenged country of origin labelling.

... and has previously challenged country of origin labelling... hmm...

It’s looking very much that Trump hasn’t got many friends amongst the congressmen of his own party, it and he’s going to have all on getting anything done within the USA, so I doubt Mandelson is losing a lot of sleep about taking on this role.

Mandelson is a tough cookie, and used to taking and giving the brickbats, whatever else people may say about him.

Although I wouldn't trust Mandelson one inch, I would not describe him as charmless, in fact I think he could be the opposite. Dubious probably.

Trump is so simplistic.

Donald Trump divides the world into friends and enemies. The charmless, dubious Mandelson will never obtain a free-trade deal while the British government mounts a China charm offensive. Trump will see our man in Washington as China’s man in London. This will confirm everything his friend Nigel Farage says about the corruption of Britain’s elite, and confirm Farage as the real link between Trump and the UK.

Freya5

petal53

If there’s one thing Mandelson isn’t, it’s a moron.

This should have been an independant appointment. Not given to a lacky of the Labour Party. According to an Oxford University research paper of July2024, "politicization of diplomacy weakens the professionalism of the foreign service, and arguably endangers the external relations of states".
Im sure others on here will critique the research paper.
As with Tulip Siddiq, people are put in place when their past history says they are not fit to hold office.

I think its a description some kind of ideal of diplomacy which doest match the realpolitik of the world we live in and how matters are conducted.

However it is of course about establishing best possible relationships in difficult times (even given the reality that most embassies include more shadowy operatives as a matter of course.

I think Mandelson could do well in this role. He is a known quantity, experienced in ways that can negotiate the sort of situation Trump is going to create.

He has achieved a lot as well as picked up black marks.

Freya5

petal53

If there’s one thing Mandelson isn’t, it’s a moron.

This should have been an independant appointment. Not given to a lacky of the Labour Party. According to an Oxford University research paper of July2024, "politicization of diplomacy weakens the professionalism of the foreign service, and arguably endangers the external relations of states".
Im sure others on here will critique the research paper.
As with Tulip Siddiq, people are put in place when their past history says they are not fit to hold office.

He isn’t a ‘lackey of the Labour Party, he’s a skilled political operator. Disagree with whether he’s the right person for the job of course but try and avoid being offensive

Dickens

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Actually Dickens it wasn’t an editorial article upthread. It was an ‘opinion piece’ by one of the newspaper’s regulars.

Here’s another (just for balance)from the Telegraph:

Tom Harris
Mandelson is a political genius: he’s the right man to deal with Trump
He will bring charm and intelligence to the role and perhaps even progress towards an elusive transatlantic trade deal.

He will bring charm and intelligence to the role and perhaps even progress towards an elusive transatlantic trade deal.

'Charm' is not usually a word many people associate with Mandelson.

If he is successful with that 'elusive' transatlantic trade deal, it will be interesting to see what concessions we have to make - or accept.

In the interests of balance, there are points in that original opinion piece you quoted that I agree with...

... and my apologies for thinking it was an editorial and not an opinion piece.

😁😁

Wyllow3

David49

petal53

However if Trump’s aids think he is a moron they are sadly mistaken and will find him to be a wily and slippery character I think.

They have both voiced contempt for each other so mutual dislike is the starting point, in reality little of the actual negotiation is going to be face to face with Trump, I’m not expecting any favours from the US. There is one area that US wants access - US food, Beef, GM cereals, Poultry, I hope that is not on the agenda for a deal.

Its about a lot more than that. Its collecting information/networking/building connections on anything connected to our relationships with the USA.

It is of course the tariff structure on every product that we trade with the US and we both have vested interests. Currently it is very expensive to import directly from the US.
For every concession they make will need a reciprocal
concession from us, so my expectations are not high.