Brown Appoints Archrival to Rejoin Cabinet

Gordon Brown shocked the British political establishment by reappointing one of his long-time enemies to his Cabinet. Peter Mandelson, who with Brown and Tony Blair was an architect of New Labour, will be made a lord and become the new business secretary. The return of Mandelson, currently serving in Brussels as the EU's trade commissioner, is "the most astonishing political reconcilation of modern times," writes the Times of London.

Mandelson's decision to back Blair over Brown for the Labour party leadership in 1994 led to a decade-long spat between the two politicians. He served as a minister under Blair twice, resigning each time amid scandals, but he remains highly popular. Mandelson's appointment is part of a larger-than-expected Cabinet reshuffle as Brown tries to capitalize on a relative improvement in his fortunes.
(More Tony Blair stories.)