Personal Life
In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when Matthew Parris (openly gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of The Times) mentioned during a live interview on Newsnight, in the wake of the resignation of Ron Davies, that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".
In 2000, Mandelson publicly recognised his relationship with long-time partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together. Da Silva is Brazilian born but was naturalized as a British citizen around the end of August 2005.
Tam Dalyell, while Father of the House of Commons, claimed Mandelson formed part of Blair's 'Jewish cabal' in May 2003. In response Mandelson said: "Apart from the fact that I am not actually Jewish, I wear my father's parentage with pride."
Mandelson was, until 8 October 2008, the president of Central School of Speech and Drama. He was replaced in this unremunerated post by playwright Harold Pinter, who died some weeks later.
In 1999, 2009 and 2011 Mandelson was an invited guest of the Bilderberg Group and attended the annual conferences.
In 2011, he was guest of honour at Herbert Morrison Primary School in Vauxhall, South London. The school was hosting a special themed day in honour of his grandfather, Herbert Morrison, whom the school was named after.
Read more about this topic: Peter Mandelson
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