Ed Balls 'begged' PM not to appoint Mandelson

Saturday, 4 October 2008 4:23 PM

Schools secretary Ed Balls has been reported as begging the prime minister on Thursday evening not to reappoint Peter Mandelson to the cabinet and is said to be furious at the decision to bring him back.

Mr Balls has denied any such conversation between himself and the prime minister took place but other left wingers within the Labour party are believed to be gravely concerned at the return of Mr Mandelson, one of the orginal architects behind the New Labour project and a man often seen as an incredibly devisive figure within his own party.

Mr Mandelson, an EU trade commissioner since 2004, said he was surprised but "proud" when the announcement was made on Friday.

He twice resigned from cabinet posts under Tony Blair's leadership and was last in government in 2001.

He originally had to resign once over an interest free loan from ministerial colleague Geoffrey Robinson to enable him to buy his house but returned to the cabinet a year later. He was then forced to resign in 2001 over allegations of misconduct regarding a passport application for the Hinduja brothers. He was later cleared of any wrong-doing.

The prime minister will complete his ministerial reshuffle this weekend with a number of ministerial changes to be revealed among them the policing and immigration posts.

Transport minister Tom Harris has lost his place in the government. In the summer Mr Harris, MP for Glasgow South, wrote that despite the credit squeeze people should not be miserable.

The reshuffle is likely to force Conservative leader David Cameron to make changes within his shadow cabinet, probably at the start of next week, to reflect the changes in the government.

Yesterday Mr Brown defended his decision to bring Mr Mandelson back into the cabinet.

He said he needed "serious people for serious times" and it was in the "national interest" to bring in Mr Mandelson because of his experience in global trade.

Mr Brown said he wanted to "reinvent government" to cope with the new challenges of financial instability, oil price rises and food price rises.

"He has built up a reputation over the last few years as someone who can get things done," said Mr Brown.

Referring to his past relationship with Mr Brown known to have been tumultuous for several years during the Blair era, Mr Mandelson said: "Of course we've had our ups and downs, but we have also known each other for over 20 years and originally we worked very well together and I am very proud to have been invited to serve in his government".

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