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Lord Mandelson faced fresh questions over his Corfu holiday today amid claims of conflicts of interest with his ministerial duties.
The Business Secretary met music industry tycoon David Geffen and Colonel Gaddafi's son during his stay at Lord Rothschild's villa this month.
Lord Mandelson has decided to declare in the Lords Register of Interests the hospitality he received from the millionaire financier and his son Nat, the Standard has learned.
His spokesman said: "Lord Mandelson's stay with Lord Rothschild was discussed with his Permanent Secretary beforehand and has been registered with the House of Lords."
The register will be published in the next few weeks.
But the Tories are demanding to know whether the peer complied with the Ministerial Code which forbids the "perception" of conflicts between private interests and public duties.
Lord Mandelson's department this week unveiled a tougher than expected crackdown on internet pirates, a move that will benefit Mr Geffen, one of America's most powerful record and film industry executives.
With the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi released last week, the peer has also been under pressure over his meeting with Seif Muammar Gaddafi on the Greek island. The Megrahi case was raised by Mr Gaddafi, but the minister insists he said the matter rested with the Scottish authorities.
Lord Mandelson has denied that either encounter influenced government policy. Downing Street did not confirm whether Lord Mandelson had informed Gordon Brown of the meeting with Mr Gaddafi, but a spokesman said: "What is important was that Lord Mandelson had been clear on the nature of that meeting and the conversation about Mr Megrahi."
Conservative MP Douglas Carswell said today: "It is far from clear whether Lord Mandelson informed Downing Street of his activities at the beginning of August."
Whitehall sources said that Lord Mandelson had not been aware before his trip that either Mr Geffen or Mr Gaddafi would be present.
Minister's key meetings on holiday
* The Business Secretary discussed the Lockerbie bomber with Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif at the Rothschilds' villa in Corfu this month. A spokesman denied the peer was involved in Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi's release.
* Lord Mandelson dined at the villa on 7 August with David Geffen, an American film boss and critic of illegal internet file sharing. Lord Mandelson's department is tightening rules on internet piracy but a spokesman denied that file sharing was discussed.
* Last summer, the peer met Russian aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska at the Rothschilds'. His spokesman denied that he was involved in tariff decisions which could have benefited Mr Deripaska.
Reader views (12)
Yet again an unelected and supremely devious NUlabour politician. If you want something done in the UK then all you have to do is meet Mandelson in Corfu and surprise, suprise, it mysteriously happens.
When can we see this unelected most devious politician fired for the 3rd time? Probably not before the General election as his master is yet another unelected devious Nulabour politician.
- Stephen, Swindon
Do the all have a global Common Purpose?
- Martin Carter, London, UK
What an utter slime ball!
- Stephen, Plymouth UK
What price Mandelson to play the sherrif of Nottingham in a remake of Robin Hood,when his political career ends?
- Jimfred, London Uk
What are we to believe he was talking about?
Guns & Roses? Or how to run a country from a blackberry?
The sooner the slimelord is removed the better. His "proposals" are losing the ENTIRE youth vote in one fatal swoop.
- Louis, Glasgow, Scotland
why do we worry about this guy. he gets away with everything.
how is he a LORD FOR GOODNESS SAKE.
- Terence Mccarthy, South Africa
You have only a short time to live so make the mos tof it. That seems to be the principal on which most of the politicians and others in this Capitalist society,live by.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
He should resign - again.
- Roger, Winchester, England
Madlieson is the driving force behind ZanuLabour's lies and deceit. I've no doubt that he was also behind the shameful release of Al-Megrahi.
This man's presence in government is an absolute affront to the democratic process.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
It's interesting to think that so many people want to meet and greet Lord Mandelson because of his bubbly personality and charm..Cynics might think of another reason.That would be unfair and obviously can't be proven..Hopefully the great man can be given his own prime tv show,where the general public can have a collective swoon over his very presence..
- Jonnie Of Brixton, brixton,london,england
What a disgrace this man and his party of unprincipled rogues really are. As Neil Kinnock (yes he of equally little principle with his nose stuffed deep into the EU gravy train) said "who would have thought, a Labour government, a Labour government".
- Thomas, London
What an utter slime ball.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
