New EU Trade Chief Vic

New EU Trade Chief

Vic Keegan (at "Kick All Agricultural Subsidies") posts that Pascal Lamy has been replaced as the chief EU trade negotiator by Peter Mandelson of the UK: "Blair trade - Europe's new commissioner". The appointment came about a week ago.

Mandelson's career has had its ups and downs. Here is a BBC profile of Mandelson. Roy Hattersley writes about Mandelson in The Guardian: "The curse of Peter Mandelson".

"...Mandelson has all the attributes which would make a great commissioner - except one. He lacks discretion. But he has the ability to master his brief, argue his case and take the hard decisions which every sort of politician must face. And he has the capacity for charming the Brussels social circuit, apparently a necessary qualification for success in that city.

It is extraordinary that a man of such conspicuous intelligence does not realise that his best interests lie in concentrating on the job rather than reading about himself in the gossip columns. Paradoxically, Peter Mandelson is in urgent need of a good press adviser."

Simon Taylor reports on the appointment, Mandelson's first meeting with the other EU Commissioners in Brussels, and the emoluments of his office, in this Guardian story: "Mandelson bonds in Brussels". Ambrose Evans-Pritchard does a similar report for the Telegraph here: "I'm spurning spin to help poor, says Mandelson".