Mandelson accepts tycoon claims

[Barman]

Lord Mandelson has admitted meeting Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska two years earlier than previously revealed.

Controversy has surrounded events at a summer party on board the tycoon's yacht attended by Lord Mandelson, then European Trade Commissioner.

EU officials previously said the two had met socially in 2006 and 2007.

But in a letter to the Times, Lord Mandelson said they first met in 2004 and accepts people may have been misled by a statement issued by his officials.

Source

Misled???? 

Misled you say...? 

I think we all know what misled means in the context of Mandy... don't we readers...? 

[Grumpmeister]

I have a hunch that this whole event was set up by Mandleson in order to deflect some of the attention away from his meeting with the oligarch around the same time that he was recommending recusing the duty on aluminium exports.

Even if Osbourne hadnt given his story to the press Mandleson would have probably found something to leak in order to spread the odure.

[Nick]

Fascinating

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-corfu-controversy-how-the-world-really-works-973817.html

[Nick]

Watch his lies and evasion. Astonishing interview!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7697211.stm

[Barman]

I see the odious little reptile has managed to slither his way out of the headlines today tho...