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Peter Mandelson’s political tactics characterized by “bullying ethos” and media manipulation, veteran journalist claims
Lord Peter Mandelson operated within a “bullying ethos” backed by sophisticated media manipulation skills, according to veteran journalist Lord Charles Moore in an exclusive interview with GB News.
The former New Labour Cabinet Minister, who recently found himself embroiled in scandal over alleged leaks of sensitive government documents to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday “to prevent further embarrassment” for his colleagues. He also announced his intention to step down from the House of Lords on Tuesday.
Speaking to Jacob Rees-Mogg, Lord Moore, chairman of The Spectator, described Mandelson’s approach as deeply rooted in New Labour’s methodology for seizing and maintaining power.
“Of course, [bullying] is intimately involved with New Labour,” Moore stated. “I can understand why New Labour did have a bullying approach, because they were determined to get on top of the problems they’d always have had with the media.”
Moore acknowledged that while he didn’t necessarily approve of all their tactics, he understood the strategic reasoning behind them. “They organized it in a much more professional way than Labour ever had in the past. And they therefore wanted to control the agenda.”
Despite criticizing Mandelson’s manipulative tendencies, Moore offered a more nuanced perspective on the disgraced peer’s relationship with the press. “To be fair to Mandelson, though he was very manipulative, he was also helpful to the media in the sense that he did want to explain things,” Moore said.
“He’s always been someone who is, we would see, as journalists, as a good contact because for whatever often Machiavellian reason, he quite often wants to talk to you and engage with the whole subject.”
The political triumvirate of Lord Mandelson, Sir Tony Blair, and spin doctor Alastair Campbell created what Moore described as an “effective” system from their perspective. This approach revolutionized Labour’s media strategy, but Moore argues it came at a significant cost to parliamentary democracy.
“It also produced a tendency to ignore Parliament and treat politics as a carefully controlled media entity, and disrespect Parliament,” Moore explained. “And I think that’s where we are now.” The key difference, according to Moore, is that the New Labour architects were far more effective in achieving their communication goals than today’s political operators.
Moore drew parallels between New Labour’s legacy of media control and current political dynamics, particularly regarding the controversial Assisted Suicide Bill currently making its way through Parliament despite significant opposition.
“Labour has an underlying sympathy for it, which means it is not a level-playing field,” Moore said of the legislation. He pointed to what he sees as an imbalanced political landscape where well-funded lobbying groups wield outsized influence.
“There’s a very strong and well-funded assisted suicide lobby, which is always pushing for this,” Moore explained. “It keeps on bringing up these bills. And while, of course I agree that this is a very important issue which needs to be heard, there’s something strange about the way bill after bill after bill comes up over the years about this.”
Moore expressed concern that these recurring legislative proposals appear “almost polemical in their construction” and lack proper legal grounding. “They never seemed to be properly grounded in law and in all the ramifications. But they keep coming back and Labour is susceptible to this,” he concluded. “I feel that it’s pressure group power more than it is proper legislative discussion.”
The allegations against Mandelson mark the latest in a series of controversies for the influential Labour figure, who twice resigned from ministerial positions under previous Labour governments before being elevated to the House of Lords in 2008.
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6 Comments
Veteran journalists like Lord Moore can offer valuable first-hand perspectives on the inner workings of British politics. Their accounts provide important context for understanding the tactics and power dynamics at play.
Mandelson’s alleged links to Epstein only add to the controversies surrounding him. This veteran journalist’s insights into the ‘bullying’ culture within New Labour shed light on the political dynamics at play.
While the ‘bullying ethos’ is concerning, I can understand the motives behind New Labour’s aggressive media strategy. Maintaining power often requires sophisticated PR and communication skills, even if the methods are questionable.
Interesting perspective on Mandelson’s tactics. Bullying and media manipulation have often been associated with New Labour’s approach to power. It will be telling to see how this scandal unfolds.
This story highlights the complex and often controversial nature of modern political communications. The allegations of bullying and media manipulation raise important questions about ethical conduct in public life.
The resignation from the Labour Party and the House of Lords suggests Mandelson is trying to limit further damage. However, the claims of a ‘bullying ethos’ and media manipulation tactics will likely continue to haunt him.