Britain’s Official for N. Ireland Quits in Scandal
Peter Mandelson, Britain’s minister in charge of Northern Ireland and Prime Minister Tony Blair’s closest political ally, resigned from the government Wednesday amid a scandal over an Indian business tycoon’s citizenship application.
Mandelson’s departure was a setback to Blair’s administration, depriving him of a key architect of the Labor Party’s landslide 1997 election win and leaving the Northern Ireland peace process in the lurch.
Blair moved quickly to appoint Mandelson’s successor, selecting 53-year-old Scottish Secretary John Reid for the post of Northern Ireland secretary.
Helen Liddell from the Department of Trade and Industry took over from Reid.
Mandelson, 47, had been set to play a major strategy role in the campaign for an early general election expected in May.
He was forced to resign for the second time in a little more than two years, this time for his involvement in a citizenship application by Indian businessman Srichand Hinduja.
In 1998, Mandelson quit as secretary of trade and industry over a home-loan scandal.
On Wednesday, Mandelson denied acting improperly but said he should have acknowledged his role earlier.
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