Brown urges party unity

British chancellor Gordon Brown tonight warned that the British government must not become “distracted” by speculation over the succession to Tony Blair.

The Chancellor called on the Labour Party to show “unity of purpose” following Mr Blair’s announcement that he intended to serve one more full term before standing down as British Prime Minister.

Earlier however the former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham issued a blunt warning to Mr Brown’s supporters not to destabilise the Government by damaging speculation over the leadership.

Mr Blair’s shock announcement of his plans on Thursday triggered a fresh wave of reports that he had reneged on a deal to stand down this autumn in favour of the Chancellor.

Mr Brown, in Washington for the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank, tonight responded by issuing a call for party unity.

“The priority is to get on with the job of ensuring prosperity for the British people,” he said in a BBC interview.

“We have got to have the strength to take long term decisions. We must never be distracted from that. Indeed the task that we have got before us is to show that we have the unity of purpose, and indeed the strength of purpose, to deal with all the difficult decisions ahead.”