The Third Man

Lovely story about Mandelson and the Hay on Wye Literary Festival from London Evening Standard below. Rather apt I think.

Mandy may be a Hay fan but is the feeling mutual?

When Peter Mandelson went to sign copies of his memoir, The Third Man, in Hatchards, Piccadilly, he met Robin Saikia, leading travel writer for the upmarket Blue Guides.

Saikia exchanged books with Mandelson, presenting him with a copy of his own book, Blue Guide to Hay-on-Wye, a rollicking account of the town, its bookdealers and the Hay Festival.

“How wonderful,” said Mandelson, “I’ve always wanted to go back there.”

Perhaps he may think twice in the wake of Hay Festival organiser Peter Florence’s comments on Facebook. Florence said: “Has anyone pointed out to Peter Mandelson that The Third Man [film] is the story of a morally repugnant fraud who is prepared to sell out his lover and his oldest friend for his own personal gain, and who dies in a sewer?”