Report: Blair thinks Brown cannot win against Cameron

by Dave Keating | April 28, 2008 at 04:37 am | 144 views | add comment

The fortunes of British prime minister Gordon Brown continue to slide as news comes that Tony Blair reportedly doesn't think Brown can beat David Cameron. With the London mayor elections coming up on Thursday, that race is being considered a test for Brown. If the current Labour mayor Ken Livingstone is ousted, it would be interpreted as a death knell for Brown's government.

The prime minister has dismissed claims that Tony Blair believes he cannot beat David Cameron in an election.

Former Labour fundraiser Lord Levy said on Sunday that Mr Blair believed Gordon Brown could not beat the Tory leader.

But Mr Brown said: "The issues ahead of us are more important than a few comments from one or two people." Mr Blair's office has denied the claims.

Mr Brown's comments come as the parties enter the final days of campaigning for Thursday's local and mayoral elections.

He told the BBC steering the economy through difficult times was more important than "gossip or rumour".

10p tax row

Conservative leader David Cameron will later promise to abolish poverty altogether as he stakes his claim to natural Labour territory.

The Tory leader will accuse Gordon Brown of making child poverty worse and urge him to publish the latest figures before Thursday's polls.