Before Peter Mandelson was appointed Ambassador to Washington, Dame Karen Pierce was already doing a brilliant job. Eleanor Mills says the current scandal is a self-inflicted wound for Kier Starmer, and another example of a great woman of a certain age being replaced by one of the boys. I n all the furore about Peter Mandelson , there is a glaring omission. Oh yes, I know THAT picture in the white Y-fronts is unforgivable (as is the handing over of confidential information to hostile operators