International
Mandelson's hopes hang by a memo
By Hasan Suroor
LONDON
FEB 5.
The new "evidence'' produced by the former high-profile Cabinet Minister, Peter Mandelson, in a bid to clear his name in the Hindujas' passport affair is reported to be an official memo which apparently supports his claim that he did not speak directly to a Home Office Minister in connection with S.P.Hinduja's citizenship application.
The memo has prompted the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to reopen the inquiry into the affair amid criticism that it is an attempt to pave the way for Mr. Mandelson's return to frontline politics. He was forced to resign from the Cabinet in January last year after he failed to convince Mr. Blair and his powerful aide Alastair Campbell that he did not telephone Mike O'Brien, then a junior Home Office Minister, to inquire about Mr. Hinduja's case. Mr. O'Brien insisted that Mr. Mandelson made the call, and this was seen as a bid to influence a decision on Mr. Hinduja's application.
The memo, prepared by an official in Mr. Mandelson's office, is being examined by Anthony Hammond, who conducted the original inquiry, to determine if it substantially shifts the balance in favour of Mr. Mandelson. In his first report last March, Sir Anthony had absolved him of any "impropriety'' but doubts remained about his version of his role in the passport case and despite winning his parliamentary seat in the June elections he has continued to languish on the margins of mainstream politics.
The charge against the former Northern Ireland secretary is that he tried to influence a decision in Mr. Hinduja's favour as a quid pro quo for a million pound donation made by the Hindujas to the Millenium Dome--a charge he has consistently denied. "The new inquiry may reflect Mr. Blair's determination to do the right thing by his old ally,'' The Guardian said in a front page report.
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