Mandelson mauls ministers over ecomm bill

There's cheek, bare-faced cheek -- and then there's Peter Mandelson. The former trade and industry minister, who left the UK government because of a financial faux-pas, spent yesterday slagging off his old colleagues to a bunch of new media types at lecture sponsored by ITN. Apparently, the government has made a complete hash of appointing a digital envoy, blasted Mandy. They've also collectively cocked-up on the detail of the ecommerce bill and dithered over key escrow for too long, he whined. Could this be sour-grapes from the man who was, nine months or so ago, the minister responsible for introducing the ecommerce bill and the appointment of the ecommerce envoy? Either way, it seems Mandy's attack on the government will do no end of damage for his campaign to weasel his way back into power. ®