Peter Mandelson enlisted help to return to Tony Blair's government
The papers, made public by the National Archives in Kew, west London, show that Mr Mandelson even sought the assistance of Lord Birt, the former BBC director general, in his bid to secure a senior position.
Mr Mandelson had been compelled to step down as Northern Ireland secretary in January 2001 amid allegations he had facilitated a UK passport for controversial Indian businessman Srichand Hinduja, in connection with the Millennium Dome.
This followed an earlier resignation over an undeclared home loan from fellow Labour minister Geoffrey Robinson.
Despite an official inquiry clearing him of impropriety in the Hinduja affair, Mr Blair was hesitant to reinstate his long-time ally, given his prior departures.
However, in April 2003, Lord Birt, then a senior policy adviser in No 10, wrote to the prime minister, urging him to reconsider.
Mr Mandelson's persistence was ultimately rewarded when Mr Blair appointed him Britain's commissioner to the European Commission in Brussels, with responsibility for trade.
'I gather from Peter that you still talk to him regularly – but, as a safeguard, you may like to know what he reports to me about his current state of mind,' he wrote.
'He feels this spring/summer may be the moment of decision for him. He's approaching 50 – and he is sorely conscious that time is passing and he has yet to fulfil his promise.
'As you know, Peter's deepest wish is to return to government. He stresses that he has already proved to be a capable minister, and that he would be a strong ally for you in cabinet.
'If you judge a return to government is not possible, then he would like you to consider appointing him as EC Commissioner.
'One way or another, he says he wants to settle his future this year, even if it means a career outside politics.'
Just four months later, it was announced that he was to be the UK's next European commissioner. He was subsequently awarded a life peerage in 2008 and is currently the British Ambassador to the United States.
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