Peter Mandelson at The Book Festival

He’s been called many things by the British Press – Mandy; The Prince of Darkness, and more recently The Dark Lord.  He was the architect behind the re-branding of New Labour, and served two Prime Ministers, but not without attracting controversy seemingly at every turn.  Now, for the first time in a public event, Peter Mandelson will appear at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to discuss his recently released memoir The Third Man: Life At The Heart of New Labour

Lord Mandelson held a number of government positions from 1997 to 2009, including Minister without Portfolio and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry before resigning for the first time following a home loan scandal.  He bounced back to become Secretary of State for Northern Ireland before resigning for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.  A period in the political wilderness as Britain’s European Commission followed before Gordon Brown brought him back into the fold as Business Secretary and made him a Life Peer.

Placing himself at the heart of the New Labour story and indeed of British Government over the last decade, Mandelson’s memoir is billed as a frank examination of the inner workings of New Labour, and the Prime Ministerships of Blair and Brown.

Peter Mandelson will be in conversation with BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme presenter James Naughtie at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on Sunday 29 August at 8.00pm.  Tickets (priced at £10, £8 concession) are now available on-line at www.edbookfest.co.uk, by phone on 0845 373 5888 or in person at Charlotte Square Gardens from 9.30am to 8.30pm daily until 30 August.