Mandelson admits earlier Deripaska meeting
Lord Mandelson has admitted meeting a Russian billionaire at the centre of a two-pronged political storm two years earlier than previously stated.
In a letter to the Times, the business secretary said he met with Oleg Deripaska for the first time in 2004 and not between 2006 and 2007 as the European Commission had said.
Lord Mandelson, who returned to the Cabinet in a shock move this month, has already been cleared of having inappropriate links with aluminium tycoon Mr Deripaska.
As European trade commissioner, the then Mr Mandelson helped to ease import duties on Russian aluminium in 2005.
In his letter to the Times, Lord Mandelson clarified his meetings with Mr Deripaska.
“Some people formed the reasonable view… that my first meeting with him was in 2006. This is not the case: to the best of my recollection we first met in 2004 and I met him several times subsequently,” he wrote.
“Perhaps I should add that naturally I met a great number of business people round the world as EC trade commissioner.
“I think this adds to what I bring to my job now. I should point out that in managing my department’s business as secretary of state I will, of course, in line with the ministerial code, ensure that no conflict of interest, or perception of such, arises from any of my past or indeed future contacts.”
Mr Deripaska was thrust into the UK limelight this week when allegations surfaced that shadow chancellor George Osborne had solicited an illegal £50,000 donation from the tycoon.
Mr Osborne, who denies the allegations, met with Mr Deripaska on his yacht in Corfu this summer. Mr Mandelson was also a guest of the Russian on a separate occasion.
