FORMER cabinet minister Peter Mandelson is returning to the political limelight.

The Hartlepool MP will be named this week as chairman of one of the country's most high-powered policy think tanks.

But the former Northern Ireland Secretary claims his appointment as chairman of the Policy Network is not preparing him for a return to Government.

He told The Northern Echo: "My primary focus is on my constituency. I don't regard it as a route back to Government."'

Explaining his new role, Mr Mandelson said: "It provides a number of means for people on the centre left of British and continental European politics to meet, to exchange ideas, to debate policy, to discuss policy practice in Government, and to promote and exchange ideas."

A seminar held by the policy group on pensions last week was attended by a former financial advisor to the French government, an ex-prime minister of Italy and an aide to German president Gerhard Schroder, while Andrew Rotherham, former US president Bill Clinton's advisor on education, was at a network conference on education.

Mr Mandelson resigned from the Cabinet earlier this year over the Hinduja brothers passports affair, although he was cleared of any impropriety.

Earlier this year, Mr Mandelson was appointed to head the 21st Century Group, which brings together politicians, business leaders and diplomats from the UK and Japan.