Peter Mandelson has delivered a blunt warning against what he described as a dangerous “fetish” for abandoning European Union regulations, calling for pragmatism in Britain’s relationship with the bloc, while firmly stating that the UK has no plans to rejoin “for the foreseeable future.”
Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, the UK’s ambassador to the United States threw his weight behind Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recently negotiated reset deal with the EU. Mandelson described the previous post-Brexit agreement as “pretty miserable” and dismissed claims that deeper alignment with Brussels could lead to re-entry into the union.
“Why make a fetish of dis-alignment when we know that it’s in the interests of our business and traders to pursue and to follow those rules and standards,” he asked, criticizing the persistent calls by some factions to unravel existing EU-based frameworks that continue to benefit British industries.
The previous Conservative-led government had pledged a sweeping overhaul that would eliminate up to 4,000 EU-derived laws. But the effort was largely scaled back due to the staggering bureaucratic load it entailed, ultimately leaving most regulations intact.
Mandelson emphasized that Britain’s role on the global stage now lies in maximizing its utility to both Washington and Brussels.
“We’re not in the European Union anymore, and we’re not going to go back for the foreseeable future, certainly. But we are European, a European country.
“We left the European Union with a pretty miserable deal, frankly, unfair to us, not particularly favourable in the long term to the EU.”
Peter Mandelson
The remarks come just days after Prime Minister Starmer hailed his EU summit as a marker of a “new era” in the UK’s relationship with the bloc, saying the focus should be on “moving on from stale old debates” and “looking forward, not backwards.”
Rebooting The Transatlantic Alliance
Lord Mandelson used his speech to call for renewed urgency in reviving the transatlantic alliance. Describing the current geopolitical environment as one requiring bold action, he argued the West needs a “boot up the backside” to confront rising global threats, chief among them, China’s rapid technological advances.
He described Beijing as a “far more dynamic and formidable strategic rival than the Soviet Union ever was,” and warned that a failure to respond could leave the West dangerously outpaced in the next technological era.
He pressed for a strategic alliance between Britain and the United States to accelerate scientific innovation, cautioning against excessive bureaucracy: “Rather than stifling these transformative technologies through excessive regulation, our two governments must unleash their immense potential for human benefit and Western advantage.”
While US President Donald Trump had nearly blocked Mandelson’s appointment due to alleged ties to China, the Labour peer now appears to have reversed course. “There is nothing in this world I fear more than China winning the race for technological dominance,” he stated.
Mandelson highlighted the emergence of a “new dynamic between China and the West,” and insisted that democratic powers must “not be afraid… to take on aspects of China’s behaviour and policies.”
Turning his attention to Europe, Mandelson criticised EU nations for failing to shoulder their share of global security responsibilities. He urged them to invest more in their own defence infrastructure rather than depending entirely on American military might. “We have lived in a fantasy created by the US security guarantee, complacent that a friendly heavyweight across the water would be always there when the going gets tough,” he said.
Wrapping up his speech, Lord Mandelson stressed that rebuilding trust in the global system requires meaningful partnerships.
“If we are serious about rebuilding confidence in the international system… we need to devote an enormous amount of energy and goodwill to preserve, sustain and deepen the alliances which exist between like-minded countries for the UK and the rest of Europe.
“We must reboot the transatlantic alliance. Indeed, a boot up the proverbial backside is needed now to deliver peace through strength across three interconnected domains – military, economic and technological.”
Peter Mandelson
As such, Lord Mandelson’s remarks underscore a call for realism in Britain’s post-Brexit stance, urging strategic cooperation with allies, resisting ideological extremes, and embracing practical alignment to safeguard national interests amid rising global competition and evolving geopolitical dynamics.
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