Hello and welcome to episode 4 of Mandelson, a homosexual history, a special series from the creators of bad gays.

My name is Ben Miller. I'm a writer, historian, member of the board of the Shulis Museum in Berlin,

at work on a biography of the fashion designer Rudy Gernrick. And my name's Hugh Lemmy. I'm a writer and author.

So last week, we left off our man, Peter Mandelson, having just helped mastermind

the Labour Party's return to power in 1997 in this strange cultural moment of Cool Britannia.

I feel, Ben, as we get into episode four, we're starting to understand and know Peter a little

better. So I wanted to start with a quote about him, written by his former advocate

turned critic, Roy, now Lord Hattersley.

Quote, Peter Mandelson's rise and fall were built on the belief that the Labour Party could

be converted into no more than a vehicle for propelling men and women of talent into the government of

the country.

He had no time for its tradition, prejudices, foibles and weaknesses, and believed that had

to be taught continual lessons about the needs to embrace new values.

So he behaved in a way that would have been acceptable in a director of a limited company.

But politics is more than running the UK PLC.

As it is, he has lost to politics forever, end quote.

So when you think that was written, Ben?

20001?

It is 2001, 25 years ago. So I've mentioned before that Mandelson has been this definitive

comeback kid in British politics and why it's, of course, impossible to ever really rule out

his return. And so today we'll learn why he got that reputation as we look at Mandelson in power.

Where we start, I wanted to ask a question about one particular element of Blairism and new laborism that I'm just not sure if Mandelson had anything to do with.

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