WESTMINSTER journalists had a big party on Wednesday to celebrate the Lobby's 200th birthday.

Tony Blair turned up with scores of senior MPs, and a good time was had by everyone - with dancing and drinking into Thursday. When Speaker Abbott created the Press gallery in May 1803, the relationship had appeared less friendly.

One MP said: "There is among them men of all descriptions. Bankrupts, lottery office keepers, footmen and decayed tradesmen." Others were even less generous, opting for "scum, working foot-in-the-door salesmen."

For all the celebrations, I wondered how many of today's MPs still harbour these thoughts. There is certainly one - Peter Mandelson. He was spitting blood after his opinion of Gordon Brown - political "obsessive" who had outmanoeuvred the Prime Minister over the euro - made it into print. His remarks were made "off the record" at an expensive restaurant lunch with women journalists. And, on almost every occasion, they would have stayed that way.

They appear in stories, but only as "a former cabinet minister" or "close

friend of the Prime Minister" - a phrase which may, after this week's

events, no longer apply.

He said some interesting things on the record. Britain would pay an

"incalculable" price if the decision to recommend entry into the single currency was not made in this parliament. Eurosceptics would seize on the absence of a referendum as evidence that the Government had been "seen off" over the euro. But this was really just another monologue from a man who has beat the pro-euro drum relentlessly for years. It was nothing like a front page.

The real story was Mr Mandelson's decision to blow the Prime Minister and Chancellor's carefully-constructed truce apart, re-opening his own feud with Mr Brown at the same time.

(Their relationship was damaged irreparably when Mr Mandelson allegedly backed Mr Brown to take over when John Smith died from a heart attack in 1994, but then switched to Mr Blair's camp.)

Legend has it that, at a later date, Mr Mandelson asked Mr Brown for 10p. Mr Brown gave him 20p and said: "Phone all your friends". And he had to be identified, so at least one hack rung Tory Shadow Chancellor Michael Howard and invited him to put Mr Mandelson's remarks "on the record".

This he gleefully did, but does that mean the "foot-in-the-door salesmen"

comments made all those years ago hold true? I remain unconvinced that a rival MP who wasn't even present making public another's remarks should even be possible, let alone fair. And the lobby was not slow to invite Mr Mandelson's political enemies to stick the boot in. Clare Short said he was guilty of his own "obsession" - mischief making. Geoffrey Robinson, once embroiled in Mr Mandelson's home loan scandal, added he was always "causing a rumpus".

But we are not talking about a naive backbencher here. Mr Mandelson does not utter a word without first thinking of its consequences. He is also not without his own Machiavellian streak, ringing up and berating countless reporters over the years.

So we hacks were either taking our revenge, knowing it would scupper any lingering hopes of a second Cabinet comeback. Or he was aware of his actions and knew he would be named? Either way, I would say it wasn't the work of "decayed tradesmen". Just vipers slithering about in the same pit.

- Parliament is now in recess. James Slack returns on Friday, June 6

Updated: 10:27 Friday, May 23, 2003