Brother-in-arms

"They are bound together, until the life they have chosen to lead drives them apart."
James Naughtie



Comrades At Arms Length

Another round in the power struggle between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown is under way with claims the Chancellor has been left out of this week's local elections campaign.

And a newspaper poll suggests the PM's popularity is seriously waning, raising more questions of when he intends to step down.

Sunday newspapers are carrying stories that relations between the party heavyweights have seriously deteriorated amid mounting speculation over when the PM will quit Number 10.

Downing Street has angrily dismissed the claim that Mr Brown had been dumped from the London launch of the party's campaign for May's local elections.

The Mail on Sunday said Mr Brown was set to demand the sacking of one minister - James Purnell - who he is said to blame for a story that he used his Budget to damage the party's chances.

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The licensing minister told the paper he was not behind the story - which suggested that a £200 pensioner council tax payment had been discontinued to help speed Mr Blair's exit.

The Observer said the row had led to Mr Brown being told he would no longer appear beside Mr Blair at Wednesday's main campaign launch, and should attend an event in Sussex instead.

But Downing Street spokesman insisted Mr Brown had chosen to switch to the event at Crawley to be near to Gatwick Airport because he had to travel to the United Nations in New York that day.

He subsequently found that he need not travel after all, and would decide early next week - in consultation with the party - which launch to attend.

The Sunday Times said the Prime Minister had halted behind-the-scenes discussions with his Chancellor on the handover.

And the Sunday Mirror said that former cabinet minister Alan Milburn was being lined up to challenge the Chancellor for the leadership.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, a fresh set of attacks was being directed at the Chancellor by Blairites over pension reform.

(SkyNews-2.4)


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