Peter Mandelson

Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson PC (born 21 October 1953) is a British Labour politician, president of international think tank Policy Network and Chairman of strategic advisory firm Global Counsel. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, and held a number of Cabinet positions under Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He was also the European Commissioner for Trade between 2004 and 2008.

Mandelson was one of several individuals responsible for the rebranding of the Labour Party as New Labour and its subsequent landslide victory in the 1997 election. He resigned twice from the Cabinet before leaving Parliament to take up an appointment as a European Commissioner. He later rejoined the Cabinet for a third time after being created a Life Peer, sitting on the Labour benches in the House of Lords.

Early life

Peter Mandelson was born in Hampstead Garden Suburb, Middlesex on 21 October 1953, the son of Mary Joyce (née Morrison) and George Norman Mandelson. His father's family was Jewish, his grandfather had founded the Harrow United Synagogue. His father (known as Tony) was the advertising manager of The Jewish Chronicle who was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Dragoons in World War II. On his mother's side Peter is the grandson of Margaret (Kent) and Herbert Morrison, the London County Council Leader and Labour Cabinet Minister. He attended Garden Suburb Primary School and between 1965 and 1972 Hendon County Grammar School. In 1966 he appeared on stage with the local amateur theatre group, the Hampstead Garden Suburb Dramatic Society as the eponymous lead in The Winslow Boy.