UK: Gordon Brown Recruits Old Foe to Tackle Crisis

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown revamped his cabinet on Friday, recalling old hand and one-time political opponent Peter Mandelson in an effort to shore up his premiership at a time of economic crisis.

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The return of Mandelson, the European Union trade commissioner, was a surprise given a history of rows between him and Brown, and his preference for the policies and leadership of Brown's predecessor, Tony Blair.

But it was clearly intended to strengthen Brown's position within his Labor Party at a time when the prime minister is lagging in the polls and determined to show voters he is the right man to lead the country.

Here are a few facts about Mandelson:

* Peter Mandelson was born in London on October 21, 1953 into a political family. His grandfather, Herbert Morrison, was home secretary in the postwar Labor government.

* Before university, he spent a year working in Tanzania with Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, the anti-apartheid campaigner. Living in Africa impressed on him the challenges of fighting poverty in the developing world. At Oxford University

Mandelson studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

* A committed pro-European, he led the British delegation to the first meeting of the European Communities Youth Forum in Strasbourg in 1979.

* He was elected member of parliament for the northern England constituency of Hartlepool in 1992 and held the post until 2004.

* Nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" in Britain for his behind-the-scenes work in turning the Labor Party into a vote-winning machine, he held two ministerial posts under Prime Minister Tony Blair, a personal friend.

-- Reuters