Ruled out?

Tweet Labour's very own Prince of Darkness has apparently ruled out ever being the leader of his party. But I've always felt that 'Never' is a word to be treated with caution when it comes from any politician - didn't Heseltine say something similar at one point? One of the other phrases Mandelson used was that there was 'no prospect' of him running for the leadership. The use of the word 'prospect' sparked a distant memory for me.

Too many years ago, as a member of a youth club, I played the lead when we performed an extract from what thespians are apparently supposed to refer to only as 'the Scottish play'. I can still remember some of my lines, including the one which goes "…and to be King stands not within the prospect of belief".

I'm certain that Mandelson, like Shakespeare before him, understands the difference between a prospect and an outcome. Could he simply be waiting for someone else to play the role of Lady Macbeth?