Now do you see that there is a plan?

How could Peter Mandelson become Prime Minister when there is no provision for a Life Peer, as opposed to an Hereditary Peer, to resign his peerage? This was the shout whenever anyone expressed the view that Peter Mandelson had his eyes on the big prize, becoming Prime Minister, even if it was for only a short time. As I have blogged before there are several Labour "big beasts" who would be only too delighted to be PM for a few months and thus get their hands on the special PM pension that they would then be entitled to. So it was hardly a surprise that I read in the Financial Times that:

"Labour is to change the law to allow life peers to quit the upper house, raising the prospect that Peter Mandelson could stage yet another unlikely comeback and return to the political fray in the House of Commons."

Then we get an interesting aside:

"Asked last month by the Financial Times whether he might renounce his peerage and stand again as an MP, Lord Mandelson said: “It’s not legally possible to do that. I am trapped. I believe it is for life.”

He then added: “Of course, you could always change the law.” Although Lord Mandelson insisted he was “teasing”, the first secretary apparently only has to muse aloud and his wishes are fulfilled."

And then the kicker:

"Tackled on the subject, Lord Mandelson said: “The legislation has to get on to the statute book. I’m not anticipating any change for myself. Goodbye.”"

Who better to ensure that the UK is forever bound into the EU than Peter Mandelson, the man with the EU pension and thus the possible question mark regarding his loyalty to the UK relative to the EU?

Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson... A downward slope of honesty and probity there but ability? Taking a maths exam stance for a moment; how would you continue such a series?