DOUBLING LENIN:

Scorned Brown to make his push for No 10 (Tom Baldwin, 12/01/04, Times of London)

GORDON BROWN is building his own policy platform for the Labour leadership after becoming convinced that Tony Blair will never hand over power to him voluntarily, according to an account from the Chancellor’s inner circle.

The claims are made in an explosive new book written by the journalist, Robert Peston, with both the knowledge of — and co-operation from — Mr Brown and Ed Balls, the Chancellor’s chief aide for the past decade, as well as other close advisers, colleagues and senior Treasury officials.

The disclosure comes amid signs of fresh tension between the Brown and Blair camps before the Pre-Budget Report tomorrow, in which the Chancellor is expected to set out a ten-year vision for the Government’s direction.

Yesterday, he was given a fresh warning from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as well as the Bank of England, that he may have to raise taxes or cut spending if higher-than-forecast government borrowing is to be curbed.

But the Chancellor plans to use the Pre-Budget Report to emphasise policies on the economy and social justice ahead of the “security at home and abroad” theme favoured by Downing Street. The report is also expected to underline Mr Brown’s long-term ambitions by setting out the Treasury’s ten-year plans for progress, in contrast to the five-year plans being drawn up by Mr Blair.

Ten year plan for government?

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 1, 2004 12:00 AM