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Shock new minister for manufacturing
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03/10/2008
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It appeared that manufacturers could hardly wait to welcome a return to government today (3 October) for the man credited with making more comebacks than Lazarus.
As the revolving door at the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform turned yet again, Whitehall leaks had Secretary of State John Hutton heading for the Ministry of Defence, Peter Mandelson (pictured) leaving his job as a European Trade Commissioner in Brussels and returning to the Cabinet for the third time in his career to replace him and trade minister Lord Jones of Birmingham returning to the private sector after his short flirtation with politics and public service.
Commenting on Mandelson’s possible return to government as Business Secretary, Martin Temple, chairman of the manufacturers’ organisation EEF, said: "John Hutton was a good advocate fighting for business across Whitehall and it was important that they replaced him with a big hitter - which Mr Mandelson certainly is. His experience as EU Trade Commissioner, and having previously been at the old DTI, should be invaluable in ensuring that business continues to have a strong voice at the Cabinet table."
Mandleson was controversialy ousted from government circumstances in 1998 and 2001 and will now face the challenge of dealing with the crisis in the financial world and rebalancing the economy, paying more attention to the manufacturing sector that is widely believed to have been sidelined by previous labour regimes.
The rumour mill also has Prime Minister Brown on the verge of appointing big hitting business czars to help with the new emphasis on industry.
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Author
Ken Hurst
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