Mandelson’s plan to charm Trump as UK’s ambassador – and why Brexit could wreck it

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said: “[Mandelson] would be very good, he understands trade. The Blairites when they were running the country managed to be pro-EU and Atlanticist at the same time – it was the hallmark of Jonathan Powell, Peter Mandelson, David Miliband and Tony Blair.

“It is going to be more difficult to do that now than it was when Bill Clinton and George Bush Jr were in power. The danger for Labour is that Trump quite likes Britain but less so the EU.

“To get a free trade deal with the US the price may be to differentiate ourselves from the EU. That would create difficulties for the UK’s effort to reset relations with the EU.

“But Britain’s geostrategic priorities of Ukraine, Nato, climate change and free trade are very similar to European priorities.

“Mandelson is going to have to do the splits in a very painful way in managing the British relationship with the US while Starmer is also trying to rebuild ties with the EU. It is going to be very difficult.

“He is not only a globalist, he is a pro-European. This won’t go down very well with some Americans who don’t like the EU at all.”

...And Grant added: “Peter is wily, he is charming, he has a lot of experience which will help him. Karen Pierce has made a difference in getting friendly with some of Trump’s people.

“If he could charm the Trump people then maybe there is some hope that he could persuade them to give us a special deal on trade.”

...Grant said: “When he [Mandelson] was trade commissioner he established a good working relationship with then trade minister Bo Xilai, Xi Jinping’s rival – who is now in prison.

“He has been relatively soft on China, believing that the West should engage with it. That could put him at odds with the new administration, which seems likely to be very hawkish on China.

“The Labour Government has so far pursued closer economic links to China, close to the lines set out by then foreign secretary James Cleverly in a speech in May 2023.

“Trump may well expect Labour to get tougher with China.”