Peter Mandelson “is always in the shadows” says Martyn Brown
Fresh from the States, Mikey Smith, Deputy Political Editor of the Sunday Mirror, sat down with Martyn Brown, Political Editor of the Daily Express, to discuss the fallout from Trump’s win.
On The Division Bell podcast, Martyn brought up the “key role” of who Trump will choose as our ambassador in Washington.
He said: “I see the Prince of Darkness, Peter Mandelson as the frontrunner to get the job. I’m not sure what’s going to happen though as he’s got a bit of a colourful back catalogue.”
Mikey shared that he was told whilst he was in America that “people in the States have been advising Donald Trump not to accept Mandeley’s credentials.”
“I would be surprised if Peter Mandelson’s were accepted or at least if not like a downright rejection, which would be a major diplomatic incident. They might just sit on it for a while and just not confirm it for ages until someone over here picks a different name.”
Martyn revealed that when he first joined the lobby in 2010, he had an interesting run-in with Mandeley himself.
He said: “It was just just before the 2010 General Election, Coalition, and after the result was announced, there was a lot of negotiations going on as to who was going to team up with who…”
“And Mandy was a key figure in all of that. I remember chasing him around Parliament one day trying to get the scoop on what was going to happen.”
“He very politely told me to ‘F off!’ in the shadows under the subway, under parliament.”
“He likes to be in the shadows!” Martyn joked, referring to the private Tube exit in Westminster station for those with a permanent pass to Parliament.
Martyn asked whether Nigel Farage could be getting a role from Donald Trump.
Reflecting on his recent trip there, Mikey revealed that Farage: “hasn’t been offered a role by the Trump administration anyway, and if he was offered one, he would turn it down because he would tell them that he has far too much work to do in Clacton!”
“That is the line and that is what he’s sticking to.”
Martyn put forward David Miliband as the ambassador, as he has lived in the States for a long time and works for International Rescue.
