Mandelson moves back into government as Business Secretary

03 10 2008 United Kingdom

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced the appointment of Peter Mandelson to the cabinet as Business Secretary in place of John Hutton

In a shock move, Peter Mandelson, the EU Trade Commissioner, has returned to government as Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulation. He will resign his post at Brussels and be given a peerage.

The CBI, Engineering Employers Federation and the Federation of Small Businesses welcomed this appointment. Martin Temple, chairman of the Engineering Employers Federation, said that Mr Mandelson’s earlier experience as Secretary of State at the DTI will be invaluable. He had held this post for five months ten years ago.

Mr Temple also praised his predecessor at the Department for Business: "John Hutton was a good advocate fighting for business across Whitehall and it was important that they replaced him with a big hitter - which Mr Mandelson certainly is.”

Mr Mandelson previously had a chequered career in government. He was Labour's chief spin doctor in the late 1980s and 1990s and was twice forced to resign from ministerial posts in Tony Blair’s cabinet.

Gordon Brown hailed Peter Mandelson's "brilliance and expertise", saying his role as an EU Trade Commissioner has given him "unrivalled experience" in key areas.

Brief Biography

Born 21 October 1953, grandson of a Labour cabinet minister

1971 –
Joined the Young Communist League

1973 –
St Catherine's College, Oxford, where he read politics

1982 –
A producer for London Weekend Television

1985 –
Appointed as Director of Communications to the Labour Party

1992 –
Stood for parliament and won the Hartlepool seat, which he served for 12 years

1997 –
Cabinet Minister without Portfolio, responsible for the Millennium Dome

1998 –
Succeeded Margaret Becket as Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry; forced to resign five months later over a secret loan scandal.

1999 –
Brought back into government as Northern Ireland Secretary

2001 –
Forced to resign over a second scandal involving a passport application; he was later cleared of any impropriety

2004 –
Appointed Britain’s EU Trade Commissioner.

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