Peter Mandelson's new friend, an Italian designer 20 years his junior

According to friends, Peter Mandelson has struck up a friendship with a 32-year-old Italian fashion designer - cooling his decade-long relationship with his Brazilian partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva.

The 53-year-old spin doctor has spent most of the New Labour years in the company of Reinaldo, 34, sharing homes in London and Brussels, where they were a regular feature on the political and social scene.

Scroll down for more...

But last night, sources close to the pair said they were no longer an item. Said one friend: "Peter and Reinaldo are no longer together, but remain very good friends."

The friend said Marco Coretti, owner of a chic boutique close to the Spanish Steps in Rome, met Mandelson while the EU Trade Commissioner was holidaying in Italy.

It is thought that it was Reinaldo who introduced them.

Yesterday, The Daily Telegraph described Coretti as a "handsome 32- year- old, who has worked for the Italian Government and owns a clothes and accessories label".

Scroll down for more...

The newspaper's diarist Celia Walden quoted Coretti as saying: "Yes, I know him and he is my friend. We met on holiday through mutual friends, but we don't do business together. I certainly don't do politics. It's not for me."

Mr Mandelson was in Italy last night, but insisted that "nothing has changed" in his relationship with Reinaldo.

However, in London's exclusive Regent's Park district, Reinaldo, a language student, was seen moving possessions out of the £3.5million house he shares with Mr Mandelson.

He spent 20 minutes loading up an estate car with items including a lamp, several bags and a pack of Foster's lager.

Reinaldo was also helped by a Brazilian woman - who gave her name only as Tiana - and between them they carried out two large ornamental vases, another lamp and a cream chair.

Earlier, four bulging bin bags and a TV had been brought out and crammed into the blue P-reg Vauxhall Astra.

Asked whether he was splitting up from Mr Mandelson and moving out, Reinaldo said: "Get away from here."

After locking the front door of the Georgian house, Reinaldo got into the passenger seat of the car and sped off with his companion at the wheel.

The handsome Brazilian was later dropped off at nearby Great Portland Street Tube station while Tiana drove on with his possessions to a flat in Kilburn, just a mile away in North London.

As she locked up the car, leaving Reinaldo's possessions stacked inside it, she said: "Some of these are my things which I lent him for his place. I don't know whether he's moving."

Tiana disappeared into a second-floor flat, then reappeared 20 minutes later to unload some of the possessions. When quizzed again about whether Reinaldo was moving she said: "I lived there (at Mandelson's house) and now I'm moving out.

"Some of these things are things he gave to me, others are mine."

Asked why she did not have a key to the house if she shared it with Mr Mandelson and Reinaldo, she replied: "I do have a key to the house. I can't talk any more."

But observers said that Tiana arrived at the house yesterday morning. She had to ring the bell and wait for two minutes to be let in.

A couple of hours after Reinaldo left with Tiana, another man arrived at the Regent's Park property, got out of a black cab and let himself in.

A few minutes later he emerged with two large suitcases, got into the waiting black cab and sped off.

A source close to Peter Mandelson last night denied that he and Reinaldo were no longer an item.

The source said that Mr Mandelson had met Mr Coretti while staying with friends in Italy. Mr Coretti was a friend of Reinaldo and had visited him in London.

Mr Mandelson and Mr Coretti had met a couple of times but did not have a relationship, we were told.

Mr Coretti is seen as an up-and-coming Italian designer, who regularly unveils his creations at Rome Fashion Week. His styles have been worn by Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Grace Jones.

His fashion work began with shoes before he moved into haute couture. Wedding dresses are one of his favourite things to design, but he also dabbles in men's fashion.