Evan Davis acquitted himself with distinction in his interview with Peter Mandelson on this morning’s Today programme.
Mandelson obviously thought he had a bit of a patsy in Davis and tried to get away with attacking the Tories, rather than answering Davis’s very incisive questions about Labour tax and spending plans post the general election. Davis stood his ground and told Mandelson flatly that he was there to answer questions about the government and not the opposition. This clearly upset Mandelson, who became increasingly bad-tempered as a consequence.
Notwithstanding his protestations that he is not running the country in Gordon Brown’s absence, Mandelson has done his level best to try to dominate the both the printed and broadcast media since his return from Corfu – he has an article in today’s Guardian, to follow the lengthy G2 interview on Monday.
After thia morning’s Today appearance, however, he may wish that he had stayed at home with his croissants and muesli.
I personally feel haunted by the Lord of Darkness.
For someone who isn’t running the Country, he’s everywhere you look.
The one politician that could, I believe, carry out an exorcism on him is William Hague.
Mandy’s slippery, but Hague is faster on his feet.