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Gordon Brown, UK contender for PM, goes on offensive

British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, who wants to succeed Tony Blair as prime minister, sought yesterday to dispel doubts he is fit for Britain's top job and welcomed a challenge to face Labour Party rivals for the leadership.

The Observer newspaper reported yesterday that up to 10 Cabinet ministers are discussing backing an "anyone but Gordon candidate" and that Blair is withholding his endorsement of the chancellor of the exchequer.

Long considered the odds-on favorite to replace Blair, the "iron chancellor" had angered Blair and others with his handling last week of the transition arrangements that his future no longer looks so certain.

However, Brown went on the counter-offensive, giving an interview to the News of the World as well as BBC television, which was to be aired later yesterday.

In the newspaper interview, Brown rejected lingering accusations that he had orchestrated a coup by party rebels that forced Blair to pledge publicly on Thursday that he would resign within a year.

Brown, 55, had emerged smiling broadly on Wednesday from a reportedly rancorous meeting with Blair about the handover arrangements only to find himself under fire soon afterward for his handling of events.

"His behavior has been absolutely stupid," former Cabinet minister Charles Clarke told the London Evening Standard on Friday.

He lamented that Brown had not stemmed the tide of criticism against Blair which peaked when eight junior members of the government resigned to protest Blair's steadfast refusal to clarify his departure plans.

Brown said he welcomed the challenge.

"I am happy for there to be a leadership contest. I think there should be," Brown told The News of the World.

Potential challengers are Home Secretary John Reid, Education Secretary Alan Johnson and Environment Secretary David Miliband.

Finally, Brown insisted he could work well with people. "I am a team player," he said.

Meanwhile, Blair appealed for an end to personal attacks within his Labour Party on Saturday.

Blair acknowledged a week of open feuding had been a disaster and warned the party could lose the next general election, expected in 2009, if it became bogged down in infighting.

"We're not going to win if we have personal attacks by anybody on anyone. Because it turns off the public," Blair told a conference of Progress, a group of pro-reform Labour Party members.

He described the week's feud as "irredeemably old-fashioned" and "regrettable."
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