Mandelborne

Mandelborne
Peter Mandelson / George Osborne
Names	Mandelborne
Description	Yachts, snark and spin

Peter Mandelson and his "Boy George" Osborne.

History

Although there is no formal record of the couple's first meeting, it's entirely possible that they have known each other since 1994 when Osborne attended that year's Labour Party conference. Generally their association is predicted to have started in 2009 during Corfugate. Since then they have spent time snarking or generally bitching about each other in a very flirty way.

Support

Corfugate

In 2009 the two of them ended up going for dinner together in Corfu as part of a joint friend's birthday celebrations. It was reported that Mandelson was staying in the yacht of a friend at the time but he denies this.

They'd agreed with about 30 others to go for dinner in a local taverna. Peter had fallen asleep in the evening sun and so was late to the dinner. When he arrived their were only two places left - one next to Rebekah Wade and one next to George. Osborne was the more insistent of the two and so Peter sat next to him.

According to various sources, they talked frankly and animatedly at length to each other about politics. Osborne later told the press that Peter had "dripped pure poison" about Gordon Brown into George's ear. Peter flatly denied it, and other guests came out on Peter's side, saying that Osborne was exaggerating. Embarrassed, George was absent from politics for a while, and Mandelson was generally accepted to have bested him - that time.

The obvious tension between the two and Peter's unhappiness at the discussion getting out gave fandom a lot to work with. It also became a running joke between the two of them, and they are frequently reminded of the holiday by the media.

General Election 2010

With Peter brought back into government to help the Labour Party not lose the general election too badly, he was put to use spinning a lot after the then-new TV leaders debates. Since Osborne was also sent to spin on behalf of the Conservatives, there was time for many flirty interactions.

Mandelson's retirement

Since Mandelson's "dignified retirement" he has taken to commentating on current British politics including George. There was also a time when it looked like George was going recommend Mandelson for a big job at the WTO but it didn't happen. Parts of fandom had made up many shippy reasons for this. With Peter sidelined during the 2015 general election by Labour, there was very little shippy material to go on, however the impending EU referendum has once again drawn out Mandelson from his retirement and back to Osborne. It as reported in late 2015 that the two had "forged a warm, but very discreet friendship" over the issue lighting the Mandelborne flame once more. Mandelson continued to pop up around Osborne, including one night in October 2015 when Osborne interviewed Charles Moore about Margaret Thatcher. Not only was Mandelson sat in the front row for the whole interview, he then spent ages talking in hushed whispers to Osborne afterwards, despite the growing crowd of people and the glares from Osborne's SpAds.

Gallery

• 

  George Osborne presents Peter Mandelson with 'Newcomer of the Year' Award at The Spectator Magazine, 2009.

• 

  At the Spectator Awards 2010

• 

  At the Prime Ministerial Leaders Debate, April 2010.

Fanon

In the Media/In Culture

Many an innuendo has been made about their time on the yacht by people from all across the media.

The Meme

Numbers-wise, the ship is one of the most popular.

AUs

Magical AU fic including fic where Peter is a vampire, where George is a vampire, where Peter is a wizard or some combination of these.

Also in various other AUs including school AU.

RP

They were together in the RP but George left when Peter contracted lycanthropy. After Peter recovered, they did not get back together (yet).