Is Mandelson the right pick for US Ambassador?

Coffee House Shots

The Spectator

News, Politics, Government, Daily News

4.4 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 20 December 2024

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Last night we got the news that Peter Mandelson is expected to be named the next UK ambassador to Washington. Despite months of speculation, Labour held firm on making a decision until the results of the US election, and with Trump entering the White House in the new year they have gone with an experienced diplomat and a political appointment.

A government source is quoted as telling the BBC: ‘The fact the Prime Minister has chosen to make a political appointment and sent Lord Mandelson to Washington shows just how importantly we see our relationship with the Trump administration.’ They cited the former Business Secretary’s ‘unrivalled political and policy experience’ and claimed he was ‘the ideal candidate to represent the UK’s economic and security interests.’

Were they right to go for an overtly political appointment? And, as a committed Sinophile, should we expect a backlash from Labour’s China hawks?

James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Michael Gove.

Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You can get three months of The Spectator for just £15, plus a free bottle of Paul Rouget
0:05.0	champagne if you go to spectator.com.uk forward slash phys24. This offer is UK only and subject
0:12.6	to availability. Hello and welcome to coffeehouse shots. I'm James Hill and I'm joined today by Katie Balls and Michael Gove.
0:22.8	Now Katie, last night we got the heads up that Lord Mandelson is about to be named as the new UK ambassador, Washington. Tell us more.
0:30.5	So this isn't a big surprise in the sense Peter Madison has been the favourite for some time.
0:34.6	There was a question about how he would fare in the Oxford chance of
0:38.7	the race and would that then affect whether or not he could be the UK's US ambassador.
0:45.1	Could there be such a job share that would put even George Osborne to shame? But in the end,
0:49.6	that did not come to pass because William Haye got the job. And I think that there was always a calculation
0:55.9	when they were decided to delay quite quickly stop the Tory's preferred choice for US ambassador.
1:02.8	It pointed to how they wanted to wait to see who was going to win the US election. As much as
1:07.6	the Tory said, oh, they're interfering. I think that's quite common sense.
1:14.0	And then I think if it were to be Donald Trump, which of course it is,
1:18.9	there is a view that there's an argument for a more political pick than you might have done otherwise.
1:22.1	And Dame Karen Pearce is, of course, exiting the role.
1:26.2	And I think there is a sense that she has made good connections with the Trump regime.
1:30.1	You know, she's someone who has gotten with lots of different politicians from across the divide.
1:31.8	But they needed a new ambassador.
1:37.7	And I think that in picking Peter Manderson, I've tried to market how many career comebacks?
1:39.0	Is this the third major one?
1:39.6	This is fourth.
1:41.6	Fourth, okay, I stand corrected.
	...

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