Yesterday's man

HAVING indicated that he was going to take a "vow of silence" during Labour's elongated leadership contest and not endorse a candidate, it was always going to be difficult for Lord Mandelson to keep his counsel – particularly when he has his memoirs to promote.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Aug 2010, 22:27 BST
Updated 30th Aug 2010, 22:28 BST

This is reiterated by his provocative call for Labour to become a "moving, breathing movement for change" – one of the phrases used by leadership front-runner David Miliband – while warning that the party risks getting stuck in an "electoral cul-de-sac" if it takes "a pre-Labour" direction, an implied criticism of Mr Miliband's younger brother and primary rival Ed, a Doncaster MP.

As usual, Lord Mandelson is not specific about the intended recipients of his carefully crafted remarks. He still prefers to talk in code, a hallmark of the former spin doctor's career.

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Yet, if it was the former Business Secretary's intention to create a rift between the two brothers, and this certainly appears to be the case, Lord Mandelson seems to forget that it is these interventions which are preventing the Labour movement from re-appraising its

policies, and regaining some credibility, after nearly bankrupting the nation.

He cites Lords Kinnock and Hattersley, whom he served under in the late 1980s and early 1990s, for not sufficiently articulating New Labour values. Yet, irrespective of the outcome of the leadership race, Labour will struggle to come to terms with the "new politics" emanating from the coalition Government if so many prominent figures from recent times – yesterday's men – persist as "back-seat drivers".

It is time, therefore, for Lord Mandelson to appreciate that politics has moved on from the New Labour soundbite era before he causes even

more damage to his party's future prospects.

Related topics:New LabourDoncaster