Playing Politics

Peter Mandelson has, it seems, given us the benefit of his views on AV.  In a world where things change at such a pace, it is in some ways re-assuring to know that Mandelson is just the same as he ever was.

It seems that Mandelson's principal objection to the "No" campaign is that it is led by Cameron and is aimed at short-term political advantage for Cameron, that he is fighting for the benefit of the Conservative party and to shore up his own political position.  This, in Mandelson's eyes, is wrong. Presumably, he thinks that constitutional change should not be a political football, that it should not be a party political matter, that we should be putting the country's interests first?

Except that his quote is:

"Labour shouldn't ignore this chance to defeat the Tories on 5 May."

and that the AV referendum is apparently a chance to "inflict damage" on Cameron.

Now, I can't recall Cameron arguing for a No vote on the grounds of narrow political interests, as per both the Mandelson accusation and the explicit Mandelson argument.   So this is just the same old Mandelson, same old hypocrisy.  Good riddance.