ULTRAS VS. WETS:

Mandelson bars Brown's way (Patrick Hennessy and Melissa Kite, 14/05/2006, Sunday Telegraph)

Peter Mandelson, Labour's former spin doctor-in-chief, is playing a leading role in efforts to persuade Tony Blair to delay his departure as Prime Minister, it can be revealed.

The European commissioner is at the head of a group of "ultra" Blairite advisers who want Mr Blair to defy Gordon Brown by "playing the long game" and not leaving Downing Street until 2008 at the earliest.

His intervention throws into chaos Labour's hopes of a "stable and orderly" transfer of power between Mr Blair and Mr Brown next year.