Mandy hesitated over 'self-promoting' Levy
Peter MANDELSON'S new book is set to open old wounds as he reveals his "hesitancy" about "self-promoting" Lord Levy's appointment as chief Labour fundraiser, while defending Levy and the Labour Party over "cash-for honours" accusations.
Mandelson's 500-page memoirs, entitled The Third Man, Life at the Heart of New Labour, was published yesterday.
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He added: "Michael had been a fundraiser for Jewish community charities, testimony to his genuine sense of social responsibility.
"But the very qualities that had allowed him to excel in that role, his hand-grabbing, cheek-kissing genius for corralling one person after another and working a room, left me with a feeling that he was far too self-promoting for his, and our, good."
He also referred to the "cash-for-honours" inquiry, in which Lord Levy was arrested as part of the inquiry but never charged.
"The donors he brought in were obviously interested in some level in 'investing' in a New Labour government.
"This did not mean they wanted a specific trade-off, as later damaging accusations would suggest. We never dangled, much less delivered on, any such deal. But it would be ridiculous to suggest that most of them did not hope for something in return. At a minimum they hoped to enjoy a degree of personal association with Number 10."
Mandelson writes: "I am sure that Michael, for all his genuine commitment to New Labour, also felt that way. When we were drawing up our first honours list, he made it clear that he expected to go into the Lords.
"I was sent to ask Michael to hold off, to try and persuade him that the time was not yet right. Michael held his ground with some tenacity and became Lord Levy of Mill Hill." Lord Levy's office was unavailable for comment.
Read the latest copy of The Jewish News Online by clicking here.
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