The PM comes to terms with Peter Mandelson
Gordon Brown, in an eco-friendly mood, travelled to the summit by train.
I also had the chance to ask him about the future of the British commissioner, his old pal and ally (no, I jest) Peter Mandelson. 
Some time ago, in the job ( with the Parliament in 2009).
Reliable sources tell me he came off a plane tired and was confronted by journalists who had the story that Gordon Brown wanted to sack him.
His immediate and unconsidered reaction was that he had other things to do and didnβt want another term. He has spoken to the Prime Minister who asked him why he didnβt want it and what his intentions were.
Mr Mandelsonβs view is that it's too early to make a decision and that the discussion can be had next year. It's this view that was reflected in newspaper stories at the weekend.
So I asked Mr Brown about it all. βMr Mandelson has said he doesnβt want to become the next commissioner, but he wants to do only one term," he said.
"But Peter Mandelson has done a great job as a commissioner.
"I talk to him regularly about what we can do about trade. He is leading negotations to get a trade agreement and I will be talking to him about how to move that forward.β
But, I persisted, what if he had changed his mind, : would he back him and give him the job?
βI havenβt seen those reports. But I think its important to say heβs done a great job as a commissioner. And of course it's his wish that he wishes to do something else - but the important thing that we know is that we are proud of what he has achieved for Britainβ.
Iβm Mark Mardell, the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ's North America editor. These are my reflections on American politics, some thoughts on being a Brit living in the USA, and who knows what else? My 
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Can these remarks be taken as a sign that two of the principle architects of New Labour are finally reconciled?
I also agree with Gordon Brown. Peter Mandelson has done a very good job as trade commissioner. He's been a good ambassador for Britain and, as the disputes with China have shown, he is not afraid to stand up for Europe either.
British newspapers should cover his activities more. He's a perfect counterexample to the standard "Brussels tells Britain what to do" because he's doing the opposite, and rather successfully.
I do not know if it is just my impression, Justin, but to me PM Brown's remarks suggested that he would never support giving Mandelson another term as commissioner.
Not surprising. I suspect he foams at the mouth whenever he travels to Brussels and meets him. The only thing that could top this is if Tony Blair becomes the new "EU President".
If the UK were an EFTA member instead of an EU member a British trade minister could have reduced import tariffs on food produce coming into this country without waiting for a permission slip from Continental countries that they are not going to give. This would lower the price Britons pay at the supermarket checkout for imported food by the amount (~10.9%) of the current EU tariff. The savings to British food consumers would amount to many hundreds of pounds per year per British family; money that we are currently handing direct to French and other food producers protected by the current CAP regime.
If Mandelson had achieved such savings then Gordon Brown might have some credibility in saying that the EU Commissioner has done a βgreat jobβ for Britain. But the reality is that French and other protectionist-minded countries have blocked Mandelson from making any offer to reduce EU agricultural tariffs which would have unlocked the WTO round. The sum total of Mandelsonβs time in Brussels is actually β¦ precisely nothing.
A twice disgraced ex-minister gets 'promoted' to the unelected position of EU Commissar as a reward for his political services to NU-Labour (he does, after all, know where the bodies are buried).
A power-hungry control-freak whose afraid of holding elections (both for his government or on the EU Treaty).
Of course they 'admire' each other and will say complimentary things about each other. They are, after all, two of a kind.
(Expect swift rebuttals and protests from Justin, Charles E. Hogswedge and other Nu-Lab stooges to follow).
'If the UK were an EFTA member instead of an EU member'...there would be no British commissioner in Brussels! In most cases, the UK would have to what the EU says anyway - without having any role in the decision-making.
The UK can stay in the EU (hopefully with a more cooperative and less paranoid attitude), or join the US (too bad that the Queen would have to go in that republican scenario) or lead a happy, isolated Belarusian existence in the margins of Europe. The EFTA is not an option - it's a dying organisation consisting of Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein only. Everybody else has left.
If the UK were an EFTA member instead of an EU member a British trade minister could have reduced import tariffs on food produce coming into this country without waiting for a permission slip from Continental countries that they are not going to give. This would lower the price Britons pay at the supermarket checkout for imported food by the amount (~10.9%) of the current EU tariff. The savings to British food consumers would amount to many hundreds of pounds per year per British family; money that we are currently handing direct to French and other food producers protected by the current CAP regime.
If Mandelson had achieved such savings then Gordon Brown might have some credibility in saying that the EU Commissioner has done a βgreat jobβ for Britain. But the reality is that French and other protectionist-minded countries have blocked Mandelson from making any offer to reduce EU agricultural tariffs which would have unlocked the WTO round. The sum total of Mandelsonβs time in Brussels is actually β¦ precisely nothing.
I have no idea why but I think he'll end up working for JP Morgan.
Pass the swill!
Max Sceptic:
Peter Mandelson has done a great deal to promote Britain the world over and deserves to be complimented for it. He also deserves a knighthood for his part in destroying the Tory Party.