Mandelson: Peace offer?

Peter Mandelson has said he wants to "draw a line" under his divisions with the chancellor.

Speaking on BBC1's Breakfast with Frost on Sunday, the former Cabinet minister said that the row should not be taken onto the European stage.

The new European trade commissioner also urged Gordon Brown not to engage in "Europe bashing".

Divisions between Mandelson and Brown are said to date back to the death of former Labour leader John Smith.

Time

Mandelson backed Tony Blair to take over the top job - a post which the chancellor had long been keen to take on.

"I know that I haven't had the easiest of relationships with Gordon Brown over the last 10 years because some of his supporters blame me for backing Tony Blair rather than Gordon," said Mandelson.

"Look, time has moved on. I've moved on to a new job and I think it would be a good idea if many of Gordon's supporters didn't take their fight with me onto the European stage.

"I don't think the government benefits from that. I don't think Britain's national interest benefits from taking those divisions onto the European stage.

"So I hope that we can draw a line and we can all move on.

"There is no benefit at all for us taking these parochial fights and these past divisions onto the European stage.

"There is far too much at stake for us in Britain to do that any more."

Spin

Mandelson also blamed the Treasury press office for spinning a recent keynote speech in which he warned against "gloating" about British economic success.

"The interpretation on my remarks was actually placed on them by Treasury press officers, representatives of the Treasury, nobody else. Of course all the press followed," he said.

But the commissioner went on to renew his warning against adopting a negative tone on EU developments.

"We have to make sure that in our pro-reform rhetoric we don't allow that to come across as Europe bashing," he told the BBC.

"I don't want to appear to be thrusting British success down continental throats."