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David Cameron seems to be getting a little rattled. Following his flustered performance at PMQs last week, he seems shocked and disconcerted to be facing a political fight again.
Unable to make a convincing charge that Labour has no ideas for the future, he has now resorted to the charge that we are being “divisive”, “short-termist” and “playing politics”.
I will let people make up their own mind on how credible these charges are, coming from Mr Cameron.
But I must point out to him that politics is about a choice. A choice between values, policies and agendas for the future.
He has obviously grown so lazy in the assumption that the Tories have already won the next election that he believes all he needs to do is sit back and wait for the voters to deliver the result into his lap.
So he seems startled that Labour is not going to let him have it all his own way.
If playing politics means that we are setting out a strong agenda to build Britain's future then that is a charge to which we will plead guilty.
Can it really be said to be playing politics to lay the foundations for a National Care Service that seeks to give the elderly greater dignity?
Is it wrong to take action to curb irresponsible risk-taking in our banks and create new protections for consumers?
Or short-termist to legislate to halve the deficit over the course of four years? It is only to today's Tories that entitlements to be seen by a cancer specialist within two weeks would seem divisive.
At the heart of our mission is the conviction that government can be a force for good to secure economic prosperity and build a fairer society. Not small government or big government, but smarter government.
That conviction has been strengthened by our experience in taking action to stand in the way of the recession and blunt its effects.
Our timely action to tackle the global crisis is working. When the recession began, there were stark predictions on the likely levels of unemployment, repossessions and company insolvencies.
But compared with the recession of the Nineties, the fall in employment is lower, the repossession rate is lower, and the insolvency rate is lower.
Credit for averting the Great Depression that threatened us goes to the enterprise, grit and resilience of families and businesses across our country.
But neither could we have limited the impact of the global whirlwind without the resources of government.
This is where the Tories got it so wrong and continue to get it wrong. They were wrong on the recession. Now they are wrong on the recovery.
There is a real choice to be made and we won't be deflected by David Cameron from highlighting it.
Lord Mandelson is First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Business.
• Lord Mandelson today left open the door to make a return to the Commons, inviting speculation he wants to be Labour leader. Asked if he would make use of laws in the Queen's Speech allowing peers to resign from the Lords, he told the BBC he had “no present plan to do that”.
Reader views (31)
"God I can't wait to see the back of this shower. They had an absolute mandate to change this society, look what they have done. Roll on next year you are history".
Jim Prescott, London wrote...
Well said Sir. Absolutely, I concur absolutely. Mandelson is just another tired old sack, just like his Boss Paw Broone? Or is he the Boss, and Paw Broone is the one who 'Does as he is instructed?'
- Uncle Vanya, England Part of the EU-SSR-Land-Land, 04/01/2010 12:07
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As if anyone is interested in what this prat has to say!Start packing your bags you and your rabble have been sussed.
- Alan, Chigwell., 26/11/2009 18:59
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Nobody cares what this useless un-elected moron thinks. Why is a 'quality' paper like The Standard even giving him an opportunity ?
- Paul H, London, 25/11/2009 12:39
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.......why oh why have you given him space ,
NO ONE IS GOING TO VOTE LABOUR - THEY ARE A FAILURE
- Jim, kent, 19/11/2009 08:39
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Free home care for the elderly? Perhaps his lordship forgets. They did that in Scotland 10 years ago. And what happened?
Scottish Labour won the election in Scotland by promising 'free' home care for the elderly. AFTER they were elected they announced that the 'free' care would have to be paid for by Local Authorities. And the Labour Government refused to give any money.
In effect what they had REALLY announced was a massive INCREASE in Council Tax.
Take a lesson from Labour in Scotland. Failed.
Labour's ONLY tactic is to raise more and more tax by stealth. This is just more of the same.
- Scot Richards, Glasgow Scotland, 19/11/2009 01:18
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God I can't wait to see the back of this shower. They had an absolute mandate to change this society, look what they have done. Roll on next year you are history.
- John Prescott, london, 18/11/2009 19:05
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Oh, Mandy you are such a card! If Labour were definitely going to win then there would be no reason why a bill has now been dreamt up allowing the renounciation of a peerage. Mandy knows full well Brown is going to get a kicking and will be shown the door and then he, Mandy, will stand as leader of NuLabour. Gordon will rue the day he brought him back into government. Mandy and Gordon together are the best reason for no voting NuLabour.
- Brian G, Norfolk Gorleston, 18/11/2009 18:45
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Oh Mandy, you came and you sold us a turkey, oh Mandy
- Dr Who, London, 18/11/2009 17:40
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@ Stuart Pinel, London
With our nation trillions in debt at the end of Labour's term in office? I'd say they are corrupting and corrupt socialists of the worse kind.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 18/11/2009 17:10
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Er hello Mandy, can I ask who elected you ???
How are you able to talk to me about democracy when you are unelected, and have just come back from the most undemocratic institution in the world, and you were unelected for that as well.
- Steve M, London, 18/11/2009 16:37
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Oh Mandy,
When you try and bribe someone - in this case part of the electorate; you actually have to have some money to bribe people with. And as we both know - thanks to your policies - the cupboard is bare.
- Chris, Tonbridge, UK, 18/11/2009 15:56
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What a disgraceful indictment of the political class. We do not elect or pay governments to spend their time devising legislative programmes with the transparent aim of making life difficult for the Opposition. Their sole objective should be delivering in the name of all citizens, not in playing pathetic party games.
- Charles, London, 18/11/2009 15:33
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Frank - I have to take issue with the term "socialist". The problem is we have a bunch of people trying to be tories without really understanding it!
- Stuart Pinel, London, 18/11/2009 15:30
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Nice try Lord M. You guys are basically saying that you're going to carry on spending money like Carrie Bradshaw in a Blahnik store. In fact, you've run out.
In fact, it's just cruel to raise people's expectations for services when there is just no money to fund them. You're government admits it has run out of money and cuts are needed.
Please stop running up debt in our name! For God's sake, call the election and get out of here so that others can pick up the pieces after your unfunded splurge....
- Alex, London, UK, 18/11/2009 15:05
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Ahahahahahaha. Ahahahaha. Hahahah. hahahah. aha. aha. aha.
In someone's (I forget whose) immortal words "if even the High Lord Mandelson can't get the spin to stick any more, Labour are in real trouble."
The biggest pile of garbage I've ever read.
- Johan, London, 18/11/2009 15:04
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Comical Ali has been reborn in the skin of Lord Mandy
- Nigelj, Cambridge UK, 18/11/2009 15:01
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Hey Mr Muck, if you haven't noticed Labour does NOT have any ideas for the future. It is same old failed policies regurgitated constantly for 13 miserable years.
Honestly, you are part of the most hated failed government in modern history. Your conceit and delusion is beyond belief. You quite obviously have no idea what this country thinks of you and your profoundly corrupt, incompetent socialist scumbag party.
You have bankrupted our society morally and financially. You have sold us out to the EU for the sake of your pension and political career. Every decision you make is in your own interest and not the interests of the people of this country whom you quite obvious despise.
If the Tory party is in such disarray, call an election NOW you slimy lizard.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 18/11/2009 14:58
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It must be nice there in Mandyland, untroubled by reality.
Presume this was written before his poor performance on Today. Mandy seemed very much the one on the back foot...
- Mark, Wallingford, UK, 18/11/2009 14:56
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Is he deluded ? more like Mandy is on the back foot
- Irene, Kent, UK, 18/11/2009 14:51
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I see the old Iraqi Information Minister has found work as a script-writer for the Labour Party. Although even he may be embarrased at this one....
Things can only get better eh? - Call an election and we'll give you some feedback on that !
- Ritchie, Reading, 18/11/2009 14:21
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I love Mandy's opening line in which he called Dave's performance in PMQs "flustered".
As opposed to the calm, collected, common-sense approach not-so-Flash Gordon shows us on a daily basis.....
What a delusional idiot! Pompous, arrogant and conceited!
Keep the dream alive Mandy; maybe 20% of those who vote will believe it.
- Cameron, London, 18/11/2009 13:54
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Err, don't think so. I will definitely be choosing but it won't be the bunch of self conceited, self deluded idiots who have spent the last twelve indulging their egos and pet projects at our expenses.
- Mikki, London, 18/11/2009 13:31
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Go Mandy!!!! Woooooo!!! Voting Tory is the national equivalent of self-harm.
- Karen Mulklins, Kent, 18/11/2009 13:20
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Just wait......a year in which voting will be an unadulterated pleasure. And not in the way Mandy imagines.
- Helene Davidson, London, 18/11/2009 12:47
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"At last we've got David Cameron on the back foot".
In your dreams Mandelson.
- Maggie, Hammersmith, UK, 18/11/2009 12:34
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Did Mandy write this with a straight face? If he believes any of this outdated, spinning dogma, he deserves a one-way ticket to the funny farm.
"I will let people make up their own mind on how credible these charges are"
Oh, we will Mandy. Just wait until next May...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 18/11/2009 12:00
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The man is living in a dreamworld,Labour has been court out in a mess of its own making and we are living with the consequences now and into the future.
Things might be looking a little better with all this money they are pumping into the Economy,BUT when that finishes what happens then,of coarse he does not talk about that,because will slow down again.
Also with all these new policies,how are we going to pay for them when the Economy is in deep doo doo?
Oh yes,more debt......Wonderful.
- Grumpy As Hell, Wimbledon, 18/11/2009 11:37
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I have never read such unadulterated,nonsensical gibberish in all my life
"He has obviously grown so lazy in the assumption that the Tories have already won the next election that he believes all he needs to do is sit back and wait for the voters to deliver the result into his lap"
What on earth gives you that impression Mr.Mandelspin?
More likely it seems that you are in fact the one who is rattled by David Cameron's damning criticism of your party's failures, as set out in his article yesterday in The Times.
I will concede though, you are most certainly right about one thing - "I will let people make up their own mind on how credible these charges are, coming from Mr Cameron"
Oh don't you worry - we will make up our own mind and after 13years of constant lies,deceit,spin and bluff from your despicable Nu-Liebour sham of a government - we know we can't believe a single word either you or your puppet Gutless Brown say.
- Anon Pc, London, UK, 18/11/2009 11:35
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I can't wait for the election; then I can put my little cross right where it hurts you.
- Jules_London, london, 18/11/2009 11:30
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So it has taken Labour 13 years to come up with these policies?
- John, Bournemouth, 18/11/2009 10:51
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Peter Mandelson talks well but the electorate do not forget that he has had to resign twice. Now he sits unelected in the Lords and seems to be telling everyone how the country should be run. What sort of integrity is this?
- Spatel, london, 18/11/2009 10:31
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