WOULD you like to be filthy rich? Peter Mandelson thought he would not mind if he was, so along with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown he helped to found New Labour.

Everyone cheered when the party won the 1997 general election, because they believed it was the end of Thatcherism.

Poor Peter had several hurdles to cross before he became filthy rich, but he began work on his ambition immediately.

He obtained an interest-free loan of £370,000 from fellow MP and millionaire Geoffrey Robinson to buy a house.

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When he became Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 1998, he was responsible for investigating Robinson’s business dealings, but he did not declare the loan. When he was found out, he was forced to resign.

In keeping with New Labour’s principles, Mandelson was out of the cabinet for only 10 months.

As a reward for his activities, he was allowed to rule one of Britain’s last remaining colonies. So he arrived here as Secretary of State in October 1999.

His job was to implement the Good Friday Agreement, which George Mitchell had delivered for New Labour.

© The Irish News