Mandelson: Blair's right-hand man

After 10 months in disgrace, Peter Mandelson was appointed the new Northern Ireland Secretary. And despite his chequered past, all parties gave him at least a cautious welcome.

That was partly because he is so close to the prime minister.

Key players in the peace negotiations see him as a heavy hitter and believe that if Tony Blair has put him on the case the situation in Northern Ireland is still near the top of the agenda.

But it was also because he is not Mo Mowlam.

Dr Mowlam's hard-hitting style displeased many unionist politicians. Many accused her of being a closet nationalist.

It was hoped that Mr Mandelson's appointment would help the then-deadlocked peace process and this optimism was rewarded in November 1999 when all the parties and the IRA reached agreement about decommissioning and setting up a power-sharing executive.

It was followed early the following month by the establishment of the executive itself, though progress stalled and then restarted amid tensions over paramilitary decommissioning.

Long Labour career

Mr Mandelson began his political career proper through a job at the economics department of the TUC and from there joined Lambeth council, from 1979 to 1982.

But his political star started to rise when he became Labour's director of communications from 1985 to 1990 under the then leader Neil Kinnock.

Under his guidance, the party took on a more professional media presentation and dumped the old style red flag as its symbol in favour of a red rose.

After Labour's landslide victory in 1997, Mr Mandelson was one of Prime Minister Tony Blair's closest advisers.

He served as minister without portfolio and then briefly as Trade and Industry Secretary.

He was forced to resign after The Guardian newspaper revealed details of a secret £373,000 loan between him and the paymaster general Geoffrey Robinson, who also resigned.

But if there is one truth about Northern Ireland, it is that it has never been easy for British politicians to try to find the way ahead.

Perhaps more crucially for Northern Ireland's future, speculation is rife in Westminster circles that Mr Mandelson's future in Belfast is limited.

With a General Election approaching, Tony Blair wants Mr Mandelson at the heart of the campaign headquarters once again - and he can't do that while presiding over Northern Ireland.