Baron Mandelson of Foy in the county of Herefordshire and Hartlepool in the county of Durham, as his official title will be when he takes his seat in the House of Lords, has already been embroiled in yet another scandal:

[Q]uestions are being asked about the extent of his relationship with Russia’s richest man.

In his first week back in British politics, Mr Mandelson has avoided offering a clear account about his contact with Oleg Deripaska, the Russian aluminium oligarch, at a social gathering in Corfu this summer.

Asked ten days ago about the gathering, Mr Mandelson’s spokespeople in London and Brussels said that the former European Trade Commissioner only had drinks with Mr Deripaska aboard the Russian’s £80 million superyacht, the Queen K…

However, well-placed sources insist that Mr Mandelson… was actually staying on board the Queen K…

Other sources have said that Mr Mandelson has also visited Mr Deripaska, who had an estimated fortune of £16 billion before the recent stock market turmoil, at home in Russia. (The Times)

Mandelson can’t even seem to stay clean for five minutes!

When he was given yet another chance in British politics in Brown’s Cabinet reshuffle, he proclaimed that it would be “third time lucky”. Mandelson – who wants to be known only as “plain” Lord Mandelson rather than his full title – may well see this third time luck very much turn against him.

He can’t seem to keep his nose clean for five minutes. If this story turns out to have substance, this attempt may well be his shortest yet.