Lord Mandelson is a poor choice for this job. Our current Ambassador pulled off getting an appointment for the PM and Foreign Secretary to see Donald Trump shortly before his victory and  did her best to help Lammy move on from his offensive remarks. She could have continued for longer.
Lord Mandelson is said to be experienced and charming. He will  need to be both to win over the President. He will come to crucial trade issues from the EU standpoint  that is likely to inflame the  President and  will probably urge Starmer to align with a losing and no growth EU. To prove me wrong he should begin by persuading the PM to cancel negotiations to give away the Chagos. This is a clear policy where the U.K. and US interests are the same. The absurd and expensive surrender line from the Foreign Office needs to be dumped.
The U.K. has a great opportunity to clinch a free trade deal with the US whilst the EU and the US impose more tariffs on each other. The U.K. should not copy the EU plan to impose high and wide ranging carbon based tariffs under the so called carbon border mechanism.
December 20, 2024
This appointment has Brussels stamped all over it. They are desperate to avoid tariffs and Mandelslime has a duty to the EU to protect his pension.
Maybe Nigel will convince Donald to veto the appointment because it certainly isn’t in Britain’s interest, then again nothing 2TK does is.
Can’t wait for the Epstein files to be released.
December 20, 2024
+1
December 20, 2024
The UK’s Washington embassy has been a failing, not fit for purpose, establishment in recent years (I do not know if that applies under the outgoing ambassador) so appointing Mandelson if he is unsuited may make little difference. It is not impossible to suppose he will have very little contact with President Trump.
We have survived somehow since 1783 without a trade deal and trade deals are not always of benefit. The tarrifs regime intended by President Trump likely will eclipse all prior notions of what trade arrangements we might seek.
December 20, 2024
I fully agree. We run a trade surplus with the US, so what’s the pressing need? There aren’t many countries we can say that about.
Our single biggest trading partner, the EU, does have a (one sided) trade agreement and we run a stonking great deficit with it; better not have the same arrangement with anybody else!
December 20, 2024
A free trade deal with the US? So you are then happy to sell off the NHS and to accept hormone beef – which Congress and Trump have made clear is a non-negotiable starting point to a deal. It amazes me that you have spent a lifetime protesting against the consent-based processes of the EU in which we were such a powerful player, and yet when the US asks us to jump your only reply is “how high”. Why is that?
Reply I have said none of those things. I do not propose giving in to bad US demands whereas you usually want to give in to the EU
December 20, 2024
Why would Labour give away the NHS and accept lower food standards? Can they not negotiate?
December 20, 2024
They didn’t with the rail or medical unions, unless you call “What do you want? OK, here you go!” negotiation?
December 20, 2024
If Starmer wanted to make this a political appointment, who else could he have chosen ?
The Labour cupboard is pretty bare.
It will cause huge internal rows on this side of the Atlantic, which might not be possible to keep under wraps. Lammy will be threatened, and rightly so : his lack of experience, past stupidity and a massive amount of baggage make him far more suitable as an ambassador to Nigeria than as Foreign Secretary.
Anyway, every time an issue comes up that involves the UK, The Donald will be on the phone to ask Nigel what he thinks. The man who Donald Trump believes will be PM by 2029 will have far more influence in the Trump White House than Mandleson, Lammy, or Starmer.
December 20, 2024
It will all kick off with the Diego Garcia issue. Starmer is going to have to overrule the FO and abandon his idea of handing over sovereignty and paying for the priviledge!
December 20, 2024
Maybe selling off some of the NHS would yield some positive results. It certainly couldn’t make it any worse. As for their food products, no one will force you to buy them.
What about our cows being poisoned by Bovaer or whatever it’s called.
We could learn a lot from US negotiations unlike 2TK capitulation method.
December 20, 2024
Surely the answer is to get people to pay medical insurance for the NHS (everyone over a certain threshold – which is most people – pay something like ÂŁ25 a month or something). And then have added costs for doctors appointments, paying for equipment and so on.
Whilst at the same time, a huge campaign on getting people to eat more healthily and take more exercise that would in turn save billions on NHS bills.
We need to be careful about how we ‘privatise’ the NHS. Look at how South Western Water (I think it is) is ÂŁ15 billion in debt whilst making ÂŁ75 billion over the last 30 years without investing into the water system. I might have got my facts and figures wrong there / confused water companies. But the main point still remains. Meanwhile our water, with huge debts, and which fat cats have creamed over the decades, is mainly owned by foreigners …
December 20, 2024
3-NOP (Bovaer) was first developed by DSM (originally a Dutch company then bought by a Swiss one) and announced in 2019 then tested in Denmark, Norway, UK, Ireland, Netherlands in 2020. It has been authorised for use in Australia (May 2021), the EU (April 2022), UK (March 2023), Canada (April 2024), USA (May 2024).
Only with the recent campaign in the Daily Mail has it surged as a bit of news, to which the UK Food Standard Agency has responded on 05/12/2024 (food.gov.blog.uk âBovaer cow feed additive explainedâ.)
December 20, 2024
“Trump have made clear is a non-negotiable starting point to a deal”.
You don’t have any experience of negotiating do you ?
Greg Hands had a good observation of how the EU negotiate:
EU demands become preconditions
Mutually beneficial UK and EU factors become UK demands
UK demands become impossible
December 20, 2024
‘we were such a powerful player’ as Cameron found out when he explained to all the EU top-knobs, you need to give me something to support staying, or else risk the UK Ref vote for Leaving might win! And they sent him home with tail between his legs, trying hard not to look very pissed off.
December 20, 2024
Why do we have to accept crated pork products; battery chickens and eggs; contaminated boaver milk and all the other awful food standards imposed by the EU?
At least I’d be able to choose NOT to eat American beef.
December 20, 2024
You may recall that in 2013 David Cameron held up the EU’s proposed trade deal with the US, TTIP, as a good reason for us to stay in the EU, and I said then that it would be worth very little to us and would not justify any significant concessions whether over food standards or healthcare or whatever:
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2016/02/13/lets-get-rid-of-eu-austerity/#comment-801195
And the same for a UK-US free trade deal:
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2023/04/13/what-the-pm-and-president-should-have-said-in-ulster/#comment-1382750
âA trade agreement with the US could increase UK GDP in the long run by around 0.07% … ”
If Trump carried out his threat and imposed higher tariffs on imports from the UK then that would have to be recalculated, no longer seeking a small potential gain but to avoid losing some of what we already have without a special trade deal, but the magnitude of that would still be a one-off loss of some tenths of a percent of GDP:
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2024/11/13/u-k-trade-does-too-well/#comment-1484169
“Basically it is a lot of fuss about nothing, just an excuse for Rejoiners to push out more propaganda.”
December 20, 2024
Well said Sir John! we dont need the failing eu, sit back and watch, they are a crashing failure- to-many at the top are filling their deep pockets!
December 20, 2024
Why would they sell the NHS to the USA? First, they spend a lot of money on medical care in the States $12,555 in 2022, $4000 more than any other high income nation and most only spend half, and their prescriptions.
Finland is noted to have the best efficiency and quality (although they probably don’t treat the whole world for free), Denmark is a publicly funded healthcare system. There are many funded similarly to ours but are better than the UK NHS management can achieve.
December 20, 2024
Good morning.
On the back of previous discussions regarding the kind of people and skills needed for management, I would say Lord Mandelson is as good as any I can think of, other than Lord Frost.
Lord Mandelson, whist I do not like the man from a political point of view, for I see him as one of the Cheif Architects of Blairism and the New Labour Project which has, and continues, to do much harm to this country, he is nonetheless as skilled and well connected person. Something I think one needs.
For Starmer this is actually quite a shrewed appointment. For he has a very key and trusted ally in Lord Mandelson who can be relied up to pour soothing oils over what could be a testing relationship if, as our kind host alludes to, a worrying time between the US and UK over key issues such as our relationship with the EU and matters of the Chagos Islands.
December 20, 2024
As expected we are getting the usual pile ins about Mandleson. Too much personal animus and none understanding the politics. You are spot on about his skills, knowledge and contacts. He played a key role in getting Blair elected and has been important to Starmer.
I donât like him but people need to understand entrenched dislikes get you now where in the world of diplomacy.
In any event Trump will do what Trump wants and thinks is the best for the US. So the appointment of Mandleson will at best, affect the margins. Musk and Farage look more important players.
December 20, 2024
+1
December 20, 2024
What other high-profile Labour people are there with sufficient stature?
Mandelson described Trump as “a danger to the world” and “a little short of a white nationalist and racist”. These people have a lot of ground to cover. Its a strange pick when he has previously said “Mr Trump would never be seen to embody British Values”.
On the contrary Trump’s mother was British and he is proud of his Scottish heritage, he loves the Royal Family.
This is definitely an EU Global you will do this Sir Starmer.
December 20, 2024
Very poor appointment but in line with the direction Labour are taking.
Mandleson is very Pro-EU, almost a zealot. Not a man I would turn my back on.
December 20, 2024
Trump is no fool, and perfectly capable of threatening tariffs to stop Chagos giveaway and Brexit betrayal.
December 20, 2024
A condition on everyone receiving an EU pension is to continue to promote the EUâs interests. Mr Mandelson is now perfectly placed to do that.
December 20, 2024
Precisely. He is not “our” Ambassador.
December 20, 2024
Good job we have Nigel to explain that to Trump.
December 20, 2024
Absolutely !
December 20, 2024
and dodgy mortgages.
December 20, 2024
From the Telegraph.
“More than half of people in the UK receive more in benefits than they contribute in taxes, official figures show.
A total of 52.6pc lived in households that received more from the state than they paid to the Treasury last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The figures underscore the challenge facing Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves as they try to tackle a ballooning sickness benefit bill and pressures from an ageing population.
The analysis, which reveals a decrease from 53.6pc the previous year and covers the 12 months to March 2023, factors in both cash benefits and the use of public services such as the NHS, schools and free childcare. So not paying anything in to the system for defence, police and other government costs.”
For recent immigrants as they earn less and often have more children it will be more like 75% I suspect.
So how do we escape ever more people voting to help themselves to other peoples money and an economic socialist doom loop?
December 20, 2024
We don’t escape it. It is all part of their plan to make the majority dependent on the state. Look forward to the introduction of Universal Basic Income. The Great Reset is in full swing. We only have a few years to avoid the dystopian world they have planned for us. They will tighten their grip on us with their absurd Net Zero policies and increases in taxes until we beg them to lock us in their 15-minute cities living off highly processed food rations. They are following the same path China took to make their people accept communism. Meanwhile, the elites will be flying around the world in their private jets living a life of luxury. Step back and you will see the big picture.
December 20, 2024
answer – – remove them?
December 20, 2024
That statistic will include people receiving the State Pension, having paid in all their lives.
It’s the welfare-claiming recent arrivals and their dependants who are proving that you can have a welfare state or you can have mass immigration ….. you can’t have both.
December 20, 2024
As they age many people cross from the ‘net contributor’ category to the ‘net recipient’ category.
December 20, 2024
We need to be more like the Poles in Poland. Focus more on traditional moral values including work ethic. And focusing on the family and patriotism over WOKE issues.
December 20, 2024
Has Starmer made any good appointments? I initially though Wes Streeting was reasonably OK but the NHS are still pushing net harm Covid Vaccines and he even things people should shut up about the unsafe conviction of Lucy Letby so as to save the feeling of the families involved. Why would they feel happier if this (clearly very unsafe) conviction is retained?
December 20, 2024
All his appointments all seem to be socialists, big government, high tax, politics of envy, net zero zealots, pro open door immigration & remoaners so all are wrong on seven rather major issues.
December 20, 2024
Missed off pro rigged markets (energy, housing, VAT on school fees, the NHS…), pro more workers rights (which harms worker, employees and growth).
But then the last 14 years of the Con-Socialist were largely just the same.
December 20, 2024
Yes, it’s all come as a complete suprise. đ
December 20, 2024
Wes Streeting appears to be one of the few in Labourâs cabinet intent on achieving better. Itâs too early to assess the effect of his performance.
However unlikely it might be, if Lucy Letby is innocent of any of the crimes she has been found guilty for, some retrial should reveal the truth.
December 20, 2024
The conviction is certainly unsafe, she must be give an appeal and immediately. She should be let out pending this they are short of cells and she would be no danger to anyone at all.
December 20, 2024
Lord Mandelson is undeniably an experienced politician. However, any trade agreement that he is able to negotiate will be in America’s favour – they are hard-nosed, highly successful business folk and will look after their own interests first
Meanwhile, Trump is having trouble with the Republican base in the Senate and the House, who are refusing to kowtow to his demands on the debt ceiling, nor the bipartisan agreement on the budget worked out by his acolyte Mike Johnson – which he has rejected. Likewise, many of Trump’s proposed government heads have been refused at Senate hearings
Trump will find that as this is the last time he will be President, the GOP will be looking to 2028 and many of his more outlandish proposed policy changes will have trouble getting passed.
December 20, 2024
Exactly. Trump loves the Brits but as long as he’s in charge and calls the shots!
Americans are a few steps ahead of us Brits / Europeans (and I worked for an American company for years. They’re tough). That’s just how it is.
Where as it’s much easer to get a good deal with Europeans. Europeans are less hard-nosed.
December 20, 2024
Dear Mr. Redwood,
once again, you have made some very good points. Mandelson is a totally committed Europhile, it will be interesting to see if the Chagos move is changed over the coming weeks/months.
I doubt it, given most politicians seem incapable of admitting they have made a mistake.
Kind regards
Craig Jones
December 20, 2024
Te choice of Lord Mandelson is designed to provide an EU ambassador in Washington and has no advantage for the UK whatsoever.
It is Starmer and Lammy’s way of putting the middle finger up to Trump. Consequently Trump and his administration will not be welcomed as an alternative by the EU leaning Labour party. It with its desire to re-join/align completely with Brussels, with puch that objective every time and Mandelson is the ideal tool to present it.
It is simply no more that the ongoing scorched earth policy adopted by the Democrats to thwart Trump and actual democracy.
December 20, 2024
Looks that way to me.
December 20, 2024
I think you’re over-egging the point.
This is all small fry compared to the tough challenge of sorting out the Tory Party so that we can get back into power and with a strong government.
Going on about this is like people going on about what kind of font Apple computers should use on their computers. When the real focus is how to create great computers from the POV of design and technology.
The Tories have to think big – and like entrepreneurs – and not like moaning Minnies complaining about minutiae.
In fairness for Reform and all their faults, this is something they grasp.
December 20, 2024
Instead of speaking truth to power Mandelson will speak his truth to power.
Be afraid, be very afraid.
December 20, 2024
Narrow Shoulders:
His âtruthâ has been regarded as doubtful.
In goodness, Truth is everyoneâs most loyal friend.
It is only those in darkness who fear truth: reflecting white-hot light on their bad deeds.
December 20, 2024
No, nothing to be afraid of at all. Pretty much red-herring stuff.
December 20, 2024
Trump will feed back to the Reform people who in turn will publicise then Starmer will back peddle. That’s the best way to embarrass him and Mandleson. The latter will grow tired and frustrated with this. Expect fireworks of some sort.
December 20, 2024
+1
December 20, 2024
One wonders how Peter Mandelson qualified to gain authority in office or be appointed as a Lord. He also received a Legion of Honour award, yet many have questioned his loyalty to truth and track record.
He and David Lammy are a strange combination, perhaps the most inappropriate to pursue future cordial relations with the USA. His reincarnation into action seems merely the latest in the sequence of Sir Keir Starmerâs numerous bad decisions, with worse to follow.
December 20, 2024
I seem to recall at one point Nigel Farage said that Mandelson was a good choice for US Ambassador. I can’t find the reference now but I remember because it seemed so unexpected. I think Mandelson is probably the best of a bad Labour bunch and may well open up channels to Reform to smooth the way with Trump, as we know Mandelson has no loyalty to anyone but himself.
December 20, 2024
Unfortunately the reality is that we are destined to move ever closer to the EU position. To make sure this happens Starmer has created a 100 strong force of civil servants to keep us in line with the EU.
Yes, Mandelson is a bad choice to represent the UK at any level, but he is being rewarded for his past support of Labour and helping Blair in so many ways that did harm to the UK.
If I were Trump I’d bypass Mandelson at every turn and make his representations pointless. I’m sure Trump knows what sort of a man Mandelson is. That said, Trump is a great one for building bridges – let’s see if he can turn this socialist dinosaur.
December 20, 2024
I cannot see Mandelson and Trump getting on. The appointment tells us everything about the low calibre of people available for such a senior post. If Mandelson is the best we have got, in Keir Starmer’s opinion, no wonder we have such a pathetic cabinet.
You would think after Lammy, Reeves, Rayner and Cooper, it could not get any worse but Mandelson shows it can!
Mandelson’s EU connections should have disqualified him from any government job. The fact that they did not show Starmers’ contempt for Brexit.
December 20, 2024
@Keith +99
December 20, 2024
A poor choice for whom? As others have already pointed out Lord Mandelson will be working for the EU which he must do to keep his EU pension.
Forget the idea of a growing UK economy as our PM announced at COP29 that our NDC is to reduce our CO2 emissions by 81% by 2035. This requires considerable de-growth and aligning with the EU will help with this goal, such as implementing CBAM, a curious measure when we are told that our energy costs will be the cheapest in the world as green energy from wind and sun is free.
Interesting item in the Daily Sceptic today about how the HoL are amending every piece of legislation to include Net Zero.
December 20, 2024
This is an outrageous and insulting appointment. An article in the DT today tells of Mandelson, in 2019, revealing, to an Italian journalist, the then POTUS was “a danger to the world” and “a little short of a white nationalist and racist”.
Now, his target President, Donald Trump, takes over again in the Whitehouse next month. What?
What on earth goes through the mind of our new PM to appoint such a disastrous person? To me, it looks like putting two fingers up to Mr Trump and I believe his team might see it the same way.
How does a man so dreadfully lacking in political skillfulness ever get to run OUR country? Good fortune and the FPTP system, I guess, as it’s not his political expertise and natural charisma.
Until ‘change’ is properly enforced, the disastrous, ‘team’ Starmer, continues to cause us more ills and degeneration in their deluded crusade to maintain Red socialism. And there’ll be no change until they are removed from power. The sooner the better for the future of OUR country.
December 20, 2024
Here is another little issue for Mandleson to get his teeth into:
âEurope and the U.S. have collectively spent 310 billion euros on Ukraine, and with that amount, “miracles” could have been made in the European economyâ said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor OrbĂĄn.
Just imagine what conservative governments could have done simply by NOT extracting that amount in taxes?
December 20, 2024
Mandelson has a dubious track record and may have impressed the Biden clan but not Trump. He may be offered an extra portion like Lammy, but not much more, given his comments about Trump.
He represents the London elite like Starmer (Lord M and Sir S mean little to many both here and in the USA).