Anger greets news of Mandelson EU appointment

Former British cabinet minister and Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson was set to make a another political comeback today, as Britain’s new European Commissioner.

But the widely-expected appointment of his friend to the Brussels post could set Tony Blair on a collision course with the new European Commission president.

Jose Manuel Barroso, the former Portuguese prime minister, said last night he wants to be given a choice of names and he has also expressed a desire to see more women commissioners.

Last night Mr Blair laughed off questions about a possible ministerial reshuffle and the future of MP Mr Mandelson, who twice resigned from Cabinet jobs.

Mr Blair posed for pictures with young people during a visit to his own Sedgefield constituency, took a successful long pot on a pool table and shook hands with a young football team during a 45-minute visit to a youth centre.

But when a journalist asked him why he had yet to reshuffle his Cabinet, Mr Blair laughed and replied: “You are not seriously asking me this going around here?”

He also declined to answer when asked whether Mr Mandelson was to give up his parliamentary seat in order to start a new career in Brussels.

Mr Mandelson’s latest comeback would meet with resistance on Mr Blair’s own back benches. Eurosceptic Labour MP Ian Davidson urged Mr Blair not to appoint him.

Mr Davidson, who chairs Labour Against The Euro, said: “This would be an appalling appointment.

“It will give the government an entirely avoidable by-election and I think we have to ask ourselves how this will be seen.

“I think this will be seen as an example of arrogance by New Labour, bringing in somebody twice resigned, seen as a crony just of the Prime Minister, deeply unpopular in the Labour Party and, of course, it suggests there is no talent anywhere else.

“I think, as well, it is going to be seen as bad for the prime minister because it is going to be seen as a sign of weakness as if he was almost hypnotised by Peter Mandelson into making an offer.”

The Glasgow Pollok MP told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme it appeared that an important job was being offered to Mr Mandelson as a “second prize, a consolation prize” instead of a Cabinet place.

“As someone who is going to be campaigning against the European constitution, the prospect of campaigning against Peter Mandelson running a European superstate is worth a couple of million votes at least,” he said.

“I don’t see the government being defeated in a by-election and in the referendum as a good thing. I think the government should avoid defeat in the by-election, if possible, by not having one.

“Certainly we don’t want to have any defeats in the run-up to a general election and we have got an election, a referendum in the North East, on constitutional change. This is entirely avoidable. I can’t see why the Prime Minister wants to do this at all.”

Confusion over Mr Mandelson’s future was added to by the newly-installed Mr Barroso.

Interviewed for the BBC2 Newsnight programme, Mr Barroso was asked whether he would find Mr Mandelson acceptable if Mr Blair nominated him.

Mr Barroso told the programme: “So far I have not yet spoken to the prime minister of Great Britain about the commissioner and I will not make any comment at this stage.

“I hope that the prime minister of Britain presents me with good names because I think it is very important for Europe to have the best in the European Commission.”

Earlier, Mr Blair’s official spokesman said the prime minister had not yet informed Mr Barroso of his choice, and there were no plans for the pair to speak last night.

Nevertheless, there has been a welter of speculation that Mr Blair is ready to put aside concerns among some in his government and party that sending Mr Mandelson to Brussels may harden public opposition to the European Constitution and make it even more difficult to win the planned referendum on the document.

Nominating Mr Mandelson for the highly-paid commissioner’s job would prompt a by-election in his North East constituency.

His 14,571 majority at the last general election should make it a safe seat, but given the Liberal Democrats’ success in overturning a big Labour majority in Leicester South earlier this month, party chiefs would take nothing for granted.

The possibility of a cabinet reshuffle receded yesterday.

Mr Blair’s visit to his constituency, as MPs left Westminster at the start of their summer break, appeared to suggest he would wait until parliament returns in September to make any final changes ahead of the general election expected next May.

Mr Mandelson, wearing a smart grey suit and tie, left his central London home at around 8.50am today.

He did not respond to questions as he emerged from the building before being driven away in a car.