Peter is a valued colleague.”Mr Mandelson fears his new role will come under attack in the Eurosceptic press, because of his pro-European views and support for British membership of the single currency.The MP for Hartlepool believes any backbencher could have taken on the role for Mr Cook, but his work will worry some Labour MPs who believe he is trying to rehabilitate himself too quickly.Yesterday John McWilliam, MP for Blaydon, urged Tony Blair to declare that Mr Mandelson would not return to the Cabinet before the next general election.Rosie Winterton, MP for Doncaster Central and a close ally of John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, said of Mr Mandelson: “His problem is that the media is so obsessed by him that it may well be that they don’t allow him to lead the life of an ordinary backbencher. She suggested that Mr Mandelson helped her to win sole ownership of the family house and unwittingly encouraged her to write the book.Mr Mandelson is anxious to play down his new role for Mr Cook, telling friends: “I will not be a roving ambassador or a proto-Foreign Secretary.” He intends to give lectures at conferences throughout Europe – for which he can be paid now that he is no longer a minister – and will report back to Mr Cook on his contacts with other EU politicians.A friend of the Foreign Secretary said last night: “He values talking to Peter because of his contacts in Europe, and they agreed to keep in touch. But Mr Cook’s allies reject a claim by his former wife, Margaret, that he “hated” Mr Mandelson, whose critics claim that before his downfall he wanted to take over as foreign secretary before the next general election.Yesterday friends of both men dismissed claims in Margaret Cook’s autobiography, A Slight and Delicate Creature, that Mr Mandelson intervened in her divorce negotiations with the Foreign Secretary. The dinner was arranged before Mr Mandelson resigned as secretary of state for trade and industry last month, in an attempt to build bridges between the Foreign Office and the DTI.
In the past, relations between the two men have sometimes been strained.
Mr Cook invited Mr Mandelson to take on the unpaid post when they met for dinner at the Foreign Secretary’s London residence earlier this month. For the coming year the World Service asked for a pounds 65m increase and received pounds 44m, of which pounds 30m is for programmes.Any decision to downgrade the Arabic service will cause deep concern given the instability in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq.. PETER MANDELSON is to take on a new role as an unofficial adviser to Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, to help him to strengthen Britain’s links with European Union partners. We expect to be able to make an announcement shortly.”However, BBC sources added that despite the pounds 30m boost for programmes last year, a re-evaluation of the World Service’s role was taking place and proposals were being drawn up by the service’s chief executive, Mark Byford, and colleagues.Last year’s grant to the World Service from the Foreign Office was pounds 156.8m.
She said: “The picture painted by The Observer is inaccurate, misinformed and misleading.”The World Service is in discussions with the Foreign Office about its three-year plan, which follows the spending review announcement last July giving the World Service an extra pounds 30m of operating expenditure over three years.”The plan’s main aim will be to focus on investing in key developments utilising the settlement in the most effective manner in order to maintain the World Service’s position as the world’s leading international broadcaster. Draft letters signalling the closure of the German and Czech services have also been seen within the BBC.But last night a BBC spokeswoman denied that any decisions had been finalised. There has never been a series of voluntary cuts in World Service language services. The World Service is doing the Treasury’s job for it.”Referring to the Czech, Russian and Hungarian services, he said: “Just as the people of these countries are working out an identity as part of Europe, to reduce services really is running up the editorial white flag.”Details of the BBC’s plans are set out in a document on how best to present the proposals publicly, which were leaked to a Sunday newspaper.
THE BBC is considering big cuts at the World Service, including closing the German and Czech services and downgrading Russian, Arabic and Hungarian transmissions. The former managing director of the service, John Tusa, who has seen the plans, denounced the BBC yesterday for “an extraordinary and dismal volte-face, an institutional capitulation”.
He added: “These plans amount to a major retreat on all fronts. He let himself in with keys given to him by Lord Wilson and on returning to his office was heard to say: “Quite extraordinary, nothing in the house is worth more than pounds 5.”In his obituary of Lord Goodman, Blond wrote that three former prime ministers, Wilson, Heath and Home, once attended an anniversary of Lord Goodman’s legal firm, Goodman, Derrick and Co, at its offices in Fetter Lane, near Fleet Street Such was the extent of his influence.. Such access – before a fall-out in 1976 – gave him huge influence in society circles and his professional life.During one of the many crises to hit the Wilson governments, he once went to the prime minister’s home in Hampstead Garden suburb, north London, to look for some papers. Although he described himself as a “crossbencher” after being made a life baron in 1965, his leanings were always towards Labour.When Lord Wilson formed his first government in 1964, he used to invite Lord Goodman to 10 Downing Street between 9pm and midnight once a week to discuss affairs of state. He was educated at University College London and Downing College, Cambridge, before training as a solicitor.During the Second World War he served as a gunner and, as a sergeant, met Colonel George Wigg, later to become Lord Wigg, who introduced him to Harold Wilson, Hugh Gaitskell and Aneurin Bevan.
“He spent most of it on other people, buying power and friendship and influence. He loved that sort of thing.”Lord Goodman was born Aby Goodman in 1913 into a middle-class Jewish family in London He later changed his first name to Arnold. He refuses to discuss the case but friends say he feels cheated and disappointed.”We don’t think Lord Goodman used the money to finance his own lifestyle,” said the family member. “There were lists of people to whom money had been given or loaned, and many were senior Labour figures.”Lord Goodman was 81 and dying, so Lord Portman decided not to pursue the money he felt he was owed and agreed not to sully the name of the man he had looked up to as a father. Around 40 per cent of that went to Labour people.”When lawyers and accountants won the right to examine Lord Portman’s records, they found evidence that much of his money had been frittered away.”They found the most desperately incriminating things,” said the family member. He used to say Lord Portman had used it all – but in fact, Goody had. We estimate that the amount that went missing over the years would be worth about pounds 10m today.
