Peter Mandelson is not wise, old, or grumpy enough to be a national treasure

Here are five simple criteria for anyone wishing to achieve national treasure status. Prince Philip makes it; Peter Mandelson and Stephen Fry do not

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4 min read

A headline in the Times last week gave me a rude jolt: “The Prince of Darkness is now a national treasure.” Written by Magnus Linklater, it suggested that Peter Mandelson’s political antics over the last 20 years have provided us with so much entertainment value that he now qualifies for this honour. It made me think: what on earth do we mean by the term "national treasure"? Can it possibly include someone like Mandelson, antics or not?

I have come up with this definition - which I readily admit is a personal one:

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