Blair ‘ruined my life’, says Brown

The revelations from Rawnsley’s book keep coming. 

The two lads meet for a showdown over the leadership in September 2006:

During their final two-hour confrontation on the issue, the book states that Mr Brown asked Mr Blair:

Who do you think is better than me? Do you think there is anyone who is better than me?" John Reid was "far too rightwing". Alan Johnson was "a lightweight". David Miliband was too young.

Was Blair saying, Brown demanded, that any of them was "better qualified to become PM?"

We know the answer to that one.

It adds that Mr Blair later revealed that the exchanges had been "terrible", saying: "He kept shouting at me that I'd ruined his life."

How much better for Brown to be remembered as a successful Chancellor rather than a tail-end Charlie Prime Minister.  He, of course, will never see that.

There is something else:

On another occasion Mr Brown was driven into an enraged rant by a newspaper article written by Alan Milburn in support of Mr Blair remaining in power. After hearing the Chancellor out the Prime Minister read the article and called Mr Milburn to say how good it was.

Harold Wilson also had a Brown to deal with, George was his name.  After three and half years as Prime Minister, Wilson had had enough and cleverly organised George’s resignation.

How Blair coped with Gordon for ten long years is an achievement in itself.