Brown to get election helmsmanship
Tony Blair is to hand Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown control of Labour’s election campaign in a bid to end the apparent infighting between the two senior Labour leaders.
The Chancellor has orchestrated Labour’s last two election victories.
It is widely believed that Mr Brown still covets the top job in British politics and views management of the upcoming general election battle as a stepping stone to becoming Prime Minister.
Mr Brown will also be pleased to read press reports that former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson is likely to be handed the European Commissioner’s job in Brussels.
It is understood that Mr Blair and Mr Brown, under the watchful eye of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, finally agreed to settle their differences at a meal on Thursday night, but only after Mr Brown muted the option of resigning his post.
Mr Brown publicly stated earlier in the week that he was angered by Tony Blair’s decision to exclude him from Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).
