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Chris Mason: Decision to appoint Mandelson continues to inflict damage
TL;DR
Chris Mason discusses the ongoing fallout from the appointment of Mandelson, highlighting how modern communication among ministers influences government decisions. The analysis includes the impact of leaked private remarks from Labour MPs.
Key points
- Mandelson's appointment continues to create political damage
- Ministers communicate via phone, email, and WhatsApp
- Private remarks from Labour MPs are being exploited by Conservatives
- 1,500 pages of documents are under review for insights
This is a snapshot, an insight into how modern government functions.
Ministers communicating with each other by phone, by email, by WhatsApp - text exchanges a real time substitute for snatched verbal conversation.
They capture contemporaneous mood, instinct and private views.
The ongoing trawling of the best part of 1,500 pages has mileage in it yet and we will continue to read through those documents.
Among the consequences already - the seizing by the Conservatives of Pat McFadden's private remarks about the alleged squeamishness of Labour MPs to cut benefits.
The now work and pensions secretary described conversations he had with other Labour politicians about the welfare system and public spending in a pretty blunt way.
"Every meeting I have is 'who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others'," he wrote to Lord Mandelson. "They're asking the wrong questions."
It won't be the last we hear of that.
And we can see there's something missing: when it comes to those stories in recent weeks about the appointment of Peter Mandelson, and his vetting, we're none the wiser on the specifics because the information about the process was not among these documents.
But two things stand out about the context of this now, versus earlier revelations in this saga.
Firstly, diminishing returns have kicked in - how much more capacity among the public is there really for jaw dropping revelation about the Lord Mandelson soap opera?
And secondly, the obvious political corollary of all this - the political damage inflicted on the prime minister - happens against a backdrop of his authority draining anyway after last month's election results and a leadership race in all but name going on under his nose.
But clearly the government's week would be rather better without all of this.
The bad news boomerang of Lord Mandelson's appointment continues to whizz around and whack this government at regular intervals - and inflict ongoing headaches.
And, whenever the moment comes and Sir Keir Starmer is looking back on his time at No10 (however long or short his tenure turns out to be), his decision to send Lord Mandelson to Washington will be a central part of the critique he and others offer about the big calls he made – and the ones he got wrong.
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Q&A
What are the consequences of Mandelson's appointment?
The appointment of Mandelson has led to significant political fallout, including the Conservatives seizing on private remarks made by Labour MPs.
How do modern communication methods affect government decisions?
Ministers use phone, email, and WhatsApp for real-time communication, which captures their private views and influences decision-making.
What is included in the 1,500 pages being reviewed?
The 1,500 pages contain insights into ministerial communications and the mood within the government, which are still being analyzed for further implications.
