Mandelson’s secret vow to help Brexit talks – on Brussels’ side, of course

LORD Mandelson has secretly offered to help Brussels in Brexit talks.

In a letter to the European Commission’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, the Labour peer pledged his loyalty to the survival of the European project.

The former EU commissioner, who is in line for an annual pension of £35,000 from Brussels, said he was ‘deeply committed’ to the EU.

In the letter, obtained from the European Commission using Freedom of Information laws, Lord Mandelson suggested that they hold private talks at a conference they both attended in Brussels in November.

He wrote: ‘I would welcome the opportunity to put some time aside for us to share some thoughts on the Brexit negotiations.

‘As you know, I am deeply commit- ted to the future of the EU as it strives for solidarity in the face of growing challenges from populist movements, geopolitics and a still recovering economy. I would be happy to brief you on the current pressures in British politics and share with you my assessment of how these will play out.’

European commissioners must remain loyal to Brussels to guarantee a generous pension. EU rules state that they have to maintain a ‘duty of loyalty to the Communities... both during and after their term of office’.

Lord Mandelson added that he had already held discussions with Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s First Vice-President.

Mr Barnier’s office was unable to arrange a meeting for the dates suggested by Lord Mandelson, but expressed his ‘sincere thanks’ for the offer and asked if it would be possible for them to meet at another time.

His staff wrote to Lord Mandelson’s office: ‘May we suggest that you contact us upon Lord Mandelson’s next visit to Brussels, so that we can organise a meeting at that time?’

Mr Barnier has held several meetings with British politicians in the past fortnight, including Tory rebels Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve, Labour’s Chuka Umunna, and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage.

Lord Mandelson has been a vocal critic of the Government’s approach to Brexit, and argued in October that it could be cancelled because voters were not told the truth about leaving the EU. He claimed on Radio 4’s Today programme that ‘nobody’ had been warned before the referendum that Britain would leave the single market.

However, this argument unravelled immediately as it emerged that he had explained publicly how Britain would have to leave the single market just days ahead of the referendum.

In April, Lord Mandelson was branded a traitor by opponents after he advised the European Union to ignore the interests of Britain in Brexit negotiations.

He told a German newspaper: ‘Basically, one can only advise the Europeans one thing: Forget Great Britain and take care of your own interests.’

The Labour peer claimed Brexit talks would break down because Theresa May has entered them with the ‘wrong basic attitude’.

Lord Mandelson has previously insisted his Brussels pension pot did not influence his views on Brexit, telling peers: ‘I was a Remainer, not because of my pension rights but because I am a patriot – a patriot, not a nationalist.’

He did not respond to a request for comment last night.

‘Deeply committed to the EU’