Anything to declare, Lord Mandelson?

LIKE an 18th Century aristocrat planning a last stand against the peasantry, Labour’s Lord Mandelson calls on his fellow ermined Peers to join him in sabotaging the Brexit Bill when it comes before the Upper House this week.

Disingenuously, this snake-tongued ex-minister – twice sacked for dishonesty – claims he is not trying to overturn the referendum result or interfere with the decision of the Commons, which has voted overwhelmingly to trigger withdrawal without delay.

In silken tones, he protests he just wants to introduce safeguards, guaranteeing the future of EU nationals living in the UK and ensuring Parliament’s right to demand further talks if the agreed terms of Brexit are unsatisfactory.

Yet Lord Mandelson knows full well any premature promises to EU citizens would rob ministers of a powerful negotiating card, while letting MPs block any deal could scupper withdrawal altogether.

Isn’t this precisely what he and Tony Blair, his comrade-in-arms and fellow money-grubber, hope to achieve?

Meanwhile, let’s not forget that Lord Mandelson – like more than 20 other Remainer Peers – has his snout buried deep in the Brussels trough. Indeed, as a former European Commissioner he has an EU pension pot estimated at £672,868 – while Lord and Lady Kinnock have pots valued at more than £2million between them. What’s more, Commissioners swear a lifelong oath of loyalty to the EU, or risk losing their pensions.

In the Lords, shouldn’t Remainers with such personal financial interests be forced to declare them?

But then it will be an affront to democracy if this unelected House of cronies, dodgy donors and washed-up members of the political class (including, outrageously, more than 100 Lib Dems, but only three Ukip members) conspires to frustrate Brexit.

If Peers value the survival of their House, they will ignore Lord Mandelson and Mr Blair – and respect the will of the people.