Wry Mandelson uninterested in Corfu attention
Tuesday, 21 October 2008 12:00 AM
Business secretary Lord Mandelson was in sardonic mood over the Corfu controversy this morning as he faced a grilling from MPs in Westminster.
His comments drew laughter from MPs as shadow chancellor George Osborne found himself accused of attempting to solicit a donation from Russia's richest man while on holiday.
It follows attention on Lord Mandelson in the last two weeks over his prolonged stay on the yacht of Oleg Deripaska, in which Mr Osborne said the business secretary "dripped pure poison" about prime minister Gordon Brown.
"I have had to put up with a media narrative which has owed more to lifestyle journalism than economic and business analysis," he said.
"The only thing that's been absent from this narrative is sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. No doubt this will be rectified in the coming Sunday newspapers. I'll be waiting with bated breath."
Lord Mandelson, who was at the heart of the New Labour team which won the 1997 general election, denied he had spent the last 15 years "swinging around" between Tony Blair and Mr Brown.
"The unifying thread. is my belief in the outlook, the philosophy and the policies of New Labour. I don't feel I've oscillated - most people would regard me as pretty rock-solid, standing firmly on New Labour ground."
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