Ashton to EU trade commissioner as Mandelson moves back to cabinet

Ashton to EU trade commissioner as Mandelson moves back to cabinet EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has decided to step down from the position to take a spot in the cabinet of U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s government.
   It will be the third time Mandelson has served in the cabinet. His likely replacement will be Catherine Ashton, a Labour member of the House of Lords in Britain, after her name was put forward by Brown and approved by European Commission President Jos' Manuel Barroso.
   Mandelson is credited with Brown and former Prime Minister Tony Blair for helping to resurrect the Labour Party, and he served twice in Blair’s cabinet before resigning twice due to scandals. He’s served as the EU trade commissioner for the last four years, where he’s been primarily responsible for developing external trade policy.