Brown says he was not behind plot to oust Blair

TONY Blair last night said he accepted assurances from Gordon Brown that he was not involved in plotting to remove him as prime minister.

Mr Brown yesterday launched a fightback against accusations he was to blame for last week’s turmoil in Britain’s Labour Party, which saw the resignation of eight junior government members and culminated in Mr Blair promising to stand down within 12 months.

In his first broadcast interview since the storm, Mr Brown dismissed suggestions he was behind a confidential letter from Labour MPs calling on Mr Blair to quit, describing the move as “completely ill-advised”.

And he threw down the gauntlet to potential Blairite challengers for the Labour leadership, declaring: “I am happy for there to be a leadership contest. I think there should be.”

Mr Blair was asked during a visit to the Palestinian capital Ramallah whether he was “100% convinced” that Mr Brown had no part in plots to unseat him.

He responded: “Of course I accept the assurances that have been given.”

It emerged yesterday that the Chancellor was visited at his Fife home on the eve of the letter’s sending by one of its signatories.

But both Mr Brown and West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson — who quit as a junior defence minister on Wednesday — insisted the visit was purely social.

The MP, holidaying at nearby St Andrews, had popped in for five minutes to drop off a present for the chancellor’s baby son Fraser, they said.

“At no point did we discuss the letter that was being discussed by members of the 2001 intake or the fact that I signed it,” Mr Watson said. “To have done so would have been completely inappropriate.”

In an interview for BBC1’s Sunday AM programme, the chancellor said he had heard rumours but “not seen any letters”.

He went on: “If anybody had asked me about the contents of that letter, I would have said it was completely ill-advised.

“The reason is this: some people want to tell Tony Blair when he should finally make the decision that he has said he will make about when he wishes to go.

“I’ve always said to Tony – and I think this should be clear, and it was made clear on many occasions when I’ve talked to Tony — the decision is for him, it should be for him.

“I will support him in the decision he makes. I know he will make it in the interests of the party but also, most importantly in the interests of the country.”

And, in a clear message that he would not endorse any future plots, he added: “I will not support those people who say the opposite.”

Mr Brown indicated he would include ministers like John Reid and David Miliband in a “Government of all the talents”.