Mandelson came to praise Brexit. Merck just buried it

I will refer briefly to Lord Mandelson, but promise that this will be an Epstein-free zone. Last weekend, while he was still our ambassador to the US, Mandelson gave an extraordinary speech. The bottom of the barrel was already being scraped as he praised Trump’s “iron-clad” stomach for political risk.

Yes, one appreciates that these are delicate times for Europe’s Nato members trying to keep the clown in the White House on board. But diplomacy is one thing; obsequiousness and kowtowing are quite another.

Mandelson made no mention of the “political risks” Trump is taking with his assaults on the domestic and international rule of law, or his savagely undemocratic attacks on academic and cultural institutions.

Sweeping deportation of immigrants and drastic cuts to overseas aid will guarantee an increase in death and illness in developing economies. Is this risk-taking to be admired? Oh dear.

One assiduous correspondent tells me that most people in his part of the north of England tend to say: “I don’t really like Trump, but at least he is getting things done.”

Well, leaving aside his so far abortive peacekeeping efforts, Trump is certainly “getting things done”. Unfortunately, as referred to above, they are usually the wrong things. People who are flocking to Nigel Farage and Reform UK – because they are understandably disillusioned with the main parties – might also believe that Farage will “get things done”.

Reform is a “fact-free” party. Farage makes it up as he goes along but is, unfortunately, a very good public speaker. His recruits, and potential recruits, should acknowledge that the one thing Farage did achieve was to scare David Cameron into calling that misjudged 2016 referendum. The result, Brexit, has made the country poorer and is responsible for many of the social discontents that lead desperate people to support Reform. By the way, there was not a “small boats” problem before Brexit; Farage managed with Brexit to create his own populist issue.

I do hope Reform supporters can catch up with Democrat US Congressman Jamie Raskin’s recent brilliant demolition of Farage: “To the people of the UK who think this Putin-loving free speech imposter and Trump sycophant [Farage] will protect freedom in your country, come on over to America and see what Trump and Maga are doing to destroy our freedom.”

Which brings us back to Mandelson’s recent speech. Once a strong European, the (former) ambassador said Brexit “freed” the UK to pursue closer US ties. “Britain,” he said, “has the opportunity to use its regulatory freedom and independence from European law to deepen American investment opportunities.” Within days, the US pharma giant Merck announced its withdrawal of a £1bn investment in Brexit Britain.

One of the many misleading contributions to the Brexit vote was made by the Sun newspaper, which wrongly screamed: “Queen Backs Brexit.” We are indebted to royal biographer Valentine Low for telling us that the Queen actually told a senior minister: “We shouldn’t leave the EU… it’s better to stick with the devil you know.”

Photograph by Carl Court/PA Wire