Peter Mandelson's hopes of a swift getaway after a Cabinet meeting last week were thwarted when his Government car tangled with a security barrier – and came off worst.Embarrassingly for the Business Secretary, his car – a gleaming silver Jaguar XJ 2.7 diesel – fell foul of Downing Street’s anti-terror ring of steel.
The £50,000 vehicle was lifted clear off the ground after getting trapped on a special ramp to stop terrorists ramming their way into No 10.
Downing and out: Lord Mandelson's Jaguar is lifted off the ground by an anti-terrorist security ramp near No 10 then taken away on a breakdown lorryWith security staff looking on bemused, the four-door Jaguar – which was waiting to whisk Lord Mandelson on to his next appointment – was instead loaded on to the back of a breakdown lorry and carted off for emergency repairs.
A spokesman for Lord Mandelson said last night: ‘The car had just had a routine search when the security ramp went up underneath it.
‘Fortunately, the driver wasn’t injured and the damage to the car was not that great. It was back in service the following day.
'Peter himself was not in the car at the time. He was in No 10 attending the weekly Cabinet meeting.’
Peter Mandelson leaving a cabinet meeting in Downing Streetsource :dailymail
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