Brown needs a contest - Mandelson

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Former Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson has said Gordon Brown should face a contest for the Labour leadership.

Mr Mandelson, the European trade commissioner, said a "coronation" would be "off-putting to the public".

Speaking on Al Jazeera TV, he failed to refute recent comments by an ex-Cabinet secretary that Mr Brown had shown "Stalinist ruthlessness" as chancellor.

Lord Turnbull had "expressed himself from his own experience as he saw it", Mr Mandelson said.

'Benefit'

Mr Brown is widely expected to succeed Tony Blair as prime minister later this year.

So far, left-wing backbenchers John McDonnell and Michael Meacher have said they will run against him but have yet to gain the 44 signatures from other Labour MPs to get on to the ballot paper.

No member of the Cabinet has said they will challenge Mr Brown, despite speculation a Blairite candidate, such as Environment Secretary David Miliband, will be persuaded to stand.

Mr Mandelson, former Northern Ireland secretary and a close ally of Mr Blair, said: "Do I think the party would benefit from a contest? Yes I do.

"Do I think whoever was elected would benefit from having a contest? Certainly. I think the prospect of a coronation is off putting to the public."

Last year Mr Mandelson said a "deep breach" had opened up between him and Mr Brown when he had backed Mr Blair to become Labour leader in 1994.

'Choice'

It had created a "fissure" in New Labour from the start, he added.

When asked on Al Jazeera if he would like Mr Brown to become the next prime minister, Mr Mandelson said: "That depends on the choice doesn't it?

"I mean you're presented with a choice, a number of individuals and you say who will be best."

Asked if Lord Turnbull had been harsh in his criticism of Mr Brown, Mr Mandelson replied: "He worked closely with Gordon Brown, he was permanent secretary at the Treasury, he expressed himself from his own experience as he saw it." Several Cabinet ministers have defended the chancellor since Lord Turnbull's remarks were published earlier this week, including those competing to be his deputy.

International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said: "He is prepared to take tough decisions and I think we should welcome that in a chancellor and a future leader."

And Education Secretary Alan Johnson added that Mr Brown had a "strong personality" and "knows his stuff".

On Thursday, Mr Mandelson said he intended to quit as EU Trade Commissioner in 2009, meaning he will not have to seek re-appointment by Mr Brown, should he become prime minister.

"I don't know whether this is going to come as a disappointment to him, but he can't actually fire me," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.