Peter Mandleson in United Kingdom

Peter Mandleson in the History

In 1985 Neil Kinnock brought in Peter Mandelson as Director of Campaigns and Communications. He was the first person employed in this position to have had a career in television. He was current affairs producer for London Weekend Television. It was his appointment that paved the way for the campaign in the 1992 General Election. Although Mandelson was not in this position by 1992 – he was seeking election as an MP instead – Kinnock’s desire to bring him into the party had implications for the general election of 1992 because Kinnock’s appointment of Mandelson showed Labour’s willingness to adapt to the televisual age of politics. This period also saw Labour reassess its priorities and decide that its appeal to the electorate would be ultimately more important than its appeal to the declining party membership. Mandelson felt that his impact had actually been limited. He wanted to see it go further. Mandelson said, “There was a deprofessionalisation, that’s the only word I can think of, in the party organisation. Professional communications encountered a series of political, organisational and managerial instructions in headquarters… you had to bring in outsiders to help sort it out”.