Committee MPs to turn on Mandelson
Thursday, 16 Oct 2008 10:01
Peter Mandelson to face grilling from MPs when he attends session with business and enterprise committee next week
Peter Mandelson is set to be grilled by MPs when he attends a session with the business and enterprise committee on October 21st.
Lord Mandelson, the newly appointed business secretary, will be subject to questions from the committee over the government's stance on the current economic crisis and how it will affect businesses.
He will also be called to explain his personal ambitions for the role.
After leaving his job as Britain's EU commissioner Lord Mandelson stated his new role was a "great challenge and a great opportunity".
He continued: "Our economy, like every other, is facing a very hard challenge as a result of the global financial crisis.
"In a sense it's all hands on deck."
The reinstatement of Lord Mandelson provoked considerable surprise among Westminster observers.
The former EU commissioner has twice been forced to resign from government under cloudy circumstances and had well-publicised arguments with Gordon Brown during the early years of the New Labour project.