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Labour face tough job - Mandelson Labour faces hard job - Mandelson
(about 9 hours later)
It will be very tough for Labour to win the next election and they are now the "underdogs", Lord Mandelson has said. Labour will find it hard to win the next election as its MPs are now the "underdogs", Lord Mandelson has said.
In an interview with BBC Newsnight, the business secretary said that, after 12 years in office, it was difficult for the party to retain its appeal.In an interview with BBC Newsnight, the business secretary said that, after 12 years in office, it was difficult for the party to retain its appeal.
He conceded that Labour would find it difficult to portray themselves as "the change-makers in British politics". He conceded Labour MPs would find it difficult to portray themselves as "the change-makers in British politics".
He did not entirely rule out becoming Labour's next leader but said "that one might be a comeback too many".He did not entirely rule out becoming Labour's next leader but said "that one might be a comeback too many".
'Thoroughly vindicated''Thoroughly vindicated'
Lord Mandelson's remarks come a day after he insisted Prime Minister Gordon Brown's position was safe despite Labour's crushing defeat in the Norwich North by-election, which the party lost in a 16.5% swing. Lord Mandelson's remarks come after he insisted Prime Minister Gordon Brown's position was safe despite Labour's crushing defeat in the Norwich North by-election, which the party lost in a 16.5% swing.
In his interview with Newsnight, Lord Mandelson said Labour were "the underdogs in politics now". In his interview with Newsnight, Lord Mandelson said Labour politicians were "the underdogs in politics now".
But he insisted the government would be "thoroughly vindicated" for the action it took over the economy. But he insisted the government would be "thoroughly vindicated" for the action it had taken over the economy.
"Of course it's difficult, and of course we're coming from behind," he said."Of course it's difficult, and of course we're coming from behind," he said.
It's going to be harder for us to convince people Lord MandelsonIt's going to be harder for us to convince people Lord Mandelson
"But that's precisely why we've got to, after all this time in office, work even harder to demonstrate that we have the ideas and the policies but also the discipline to bring to government."But that's precisely why we've got to, after all this time in office, work even harder to demonstrate that we have the ideas and the policies but also the discipline to bring to government.
"It's going to be harder for us, in other words, to be insurgents rather than simply incumbents."It's going to be harder for us, in other words, to be insurgents rather than simply incumbents.
"It's going to be harder for us to convince people in the way that we need to do that we are going to continue to be, as I say, the change-makers in British politics.""It's going to be harder for us to convince people in the way that we need to do that we are going to continue to be, as I say, the change-makers in British politics."
Responding to a suggestion from Dr Peter Slowe, chairman of the Labour Finance and Industry Group, that the business secretary was the only person in the party who could beat the Conservatives, Lord Mandelson said that as a peer "I can't just migrate from one chamber to another". Responding to a suggestion from Peter Slowe, chairman of the Labour Finance and Industry Group, that the business secretary was the only person in the party who could beat the Conservatives, Lord Mandelson said that as a peer "I can't just migrate from one chamber to another".
He said that "given all the political comebacks that I've made in my political career", becoming prime minister "might be a comeback too many".He said that "given all the political comebacks that I've made in my political career", becoming prime minister "might be a comeback too many".
Tory 'glee'Tory 'glee'
Lord Mandelson said "tough decisions" would have to be made on public spending, but refused to use the word "cuts".Lord Mandelson said "tough decisions" would have to be made on public spending, but refused to use the word "cuts".
"I fully accept that in the medium term the fiscal adjustment that we are going to have to make, the rebalancing of our public finances, will be substantial," he said."I fully accept that in the medium term the fiscal adjustment that we are going to have to make, the rebalancing of our public finances, will be substantial," he said.
"The government has never disguised that will be the case."The government has never disguised that will be the case.
"Over time, when we show this fiscal responsibility as we will need to, there will be things that we would like to do, but will have to be done slower."Over time, when we show this fiscal responsibility as we will need to, there will be things that we would like to do, but will have to be done slower.
"There will be things that have to be postponed and put off, and there will probably be things that we cannot do at all.""There will be things that have to be postponed and put off, and there will probably be things that we cannot do at all."
He said the Tories were now discussing "savage cuts" to public services with "almost undisguised glee".He said the Tories were now discussing "savage cuts" to public services with "almost undisguised glee".