Peter Mandelson's return to the British Cabinet sparked surprise and words of warning for Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Saturday after he turned to an old enemy to tackle the financial crisis.

Britain's newspapers gave front-page reactions to the resurrection in government of the European Union's trade commissioner, with some hailing a brilliant gamble by Brown and others outraged at the return of "Lord Sleaze".

Mandelson, who has twice been forced to resign from British ministerial posts, acknowledged that his new job "was certainly not what I was expecting" but said he was proud to become a minister for the third time.

The 54-year-old's appointment to the post of business secretary was the biggest surprise in Brown's cabinet reshuffle on Friday, which was aimed at helping the government deal with the global credit crunch.

Return of 'the prince of darkness'

Mandelson was dubbed the 'Prince of Darkness' for his spin doctor skills and Machiavellian ways in reshaping the Labour Party into the electable force that has been in power since 1997.

But a poll out on Saturday showed a huge task still lies ahead if he is to help the governing, centre-left party win the next general election, due by May 2010.

The survey by pollsters ICM in The Guardian newspaper showed the main opposition Conservatives still far ahead of Labour following the annual party conference season, which concluded Wednesday.

The poll put the centre-right Conservatives on 42 percent (up one percent on last week), Labour on 30 percent (down two percent), and the centre-left Liberal Democrats on 17 percent (down one percent).

However, when asked which of the two main parties was better able to run the economy, 37 percent said the Conservatives (down three percent on March), while 35 percent said Labour (up three percent).

Twenty-eight percent said they did not know.

"Voters give Brown credit for fighting the crisis but also want a Tory government," The Guardian concluded.

ICM interviewed 1008 random adults by telephone on Wednesday and Thursday.

Without a House of Commons seat, Mandelson will be given a lordship and enter parliament's upper chamber in order to rejoin the Cabinet.

"His feud with Gordon Brown was so bitter that for years they barely spoke. So it shows the PM's desperation," said The Sun, Britain's biggest-selling daily.

The Daily Mail said on its front page: "Arise Lord Sleaze", while inside, columnist Richard Littlejohn called Mandelson an "odious, discredited creep... the most malignant tumor on Britain's body politic".

Certainly a high-risk gamble

The quality press concluded that it was a high-risk gamble with Brown staking his premiership on a dangerous figure.

The Times and The Daily Telegraph said Brown's move was to stave off the threat of a coup by supporters of his predecessor Tony Blair — Mandelson's staunch ally.

The Daily Telegraph said "Mr Brown has placed around the Cabinet table the man who could eventually prove his executioner".

The Guardian said it was "one of the most brilliant coups" of Brown's career.

The Financial Times warned that Mandelson had an "unfortunate ability to become the story, especially for a press that loves to paint him as a pantomime villain with a whiff of sulphur."

Brown and Mandelson fell out in 1994 when the latter backed Blair for the post of Labour leader.

On Friday, however, Mandelson praised Brown's leadership during the economic crisis. He said that while the pair had had their "ups and downs... we've already known each other for over 20 years, and originally we worked very well together."

Mandelson said his role would be "to help protect our economy."

Announcing the reshuffle, Brown said Mandelson was "brilliant" and that "serious people are needed for serious times."

Brown left the key positions of Finance Minister Alistair Darling, Foreign Minister David Miliband and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith unchanged.

AFP