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| Brown 'towering figure' says Hain | Brown 'towering figure' says Hain |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has described as "extraordinary" an attack on Gordon Brown by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke. | Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has described as "extraordinary" an attack on Gordon Brown by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke. |
| As Labour continues to focus on when Tony Blair will hand over power, Mr Clarke told the Daily Telegraph that Mr Brown was a "deluded control freak". | As Labour continues to focus on when Tony Blair will hand over power, Mr Clarke told the Daily Telegraph that Mr Brown was a "deluded control freak". |
| Mr Hain said he believed Gordon Brown would become the next Labour leader. | Mr Hain said he believed Gordon Brown would become the next Labour leader. |
| He said Mr Brown was the "most able figure" in the party who was, along with Mr Blair, a "towering figure". | He said Mr Brown was the "most able figure" in the party who was, along with Mr Blair, a "towering figure". |
| "I've been equally supportive of Tony Blair as prime minister and I've been one of the most loyal Cabinet ministers to him, not least for his work in Northern Ireland," he told the BBC's Inside Politics. | |
| "Charles's comments are pretty extraordinary, but I believe Gordon Brown will be the next prime minister. | "Charles's comments are pretty extraordinary, but I believe Gordon Brown will be the next prime minister. |
| His massive weakness is that he can't work with people Charles ClarkeOn Gordon Brown "I think he's the most able figure in the Labour Party, and with Tony Blair, he is the towering figure of this generation of politicians of all parties." | His massive weakness is that he can't work with people Charles ClarkeOn Gordon Brown "I think he's the most able figure in the Labour Party, and with Tony Blair, he is the towering figure of this generation of politicians of all parties." |
| Charles Clarke's comments followed mounting speculation about the end of Mr Blair's tenure as prime minister and his likely successor. | Charles Clarke's comments followed mounting speculation about the end of Mr Blair's tenure as prime minister and his likely successor. |
| Mr Clarke had already branded the chancellor - who is widely expected to succeed Mr Blair - as "absolutely stupid" in a newspaper interview. | Mr Clarke had already branded the chancellor - who is widely expected to succeed Mr Blair - as "absolutely stupid" in a newspaper interview. |
| And, speaking to the Telegraph, he added further criticisms. | And, speaking to the Telegraph, he added further criticisms. |
| Mr Clarke accused Mr Brown of being unable to work with other people, as well as lacking the courage to take tough decisions . | Mr Clarke accused Mr Brown of being unable to work with other people, as well as lacking the courage to take tough decisions . |
| "He is totally, totally uncollegiate," he said. | "He is totally, totally uncollegiate," he said. |
| "From my own experience of dealing with student finance and ID cards, it was very, very difficult to work with him - very difficult indeed. | "From my own experience of dealing with student finance and ID cards, it was very, very difficult to work with him - very difficult indeed. |
| "It was the control freak thing. His massive weakness is that he can't work with people." | "It was the control freak thing. His massive weakness is that he can't work with people." |
| The former home secretary also said the chancellor was labouring under the "delusion" that he could have beaten Mr Blair for the Labour leadership if he had stood in 1994, when in fact he would have been "humiliated". | The former home secretary also said the chancellor was labouring under the "delusion" that he could have beaten Mr Blair for the Labour leadership if he had stood in 1994, when in fact he would have been "humiliated". |
| Mr Clarke had previously been seen as a close ally of Mr Blair, but said he was "furious" to have been sacked by the prime minister in May and denied he was "working in league with Tony Blair or Downing Street". | Mr Clarke had previously been seen as a close ally of Mr Blair, but said he was "furious" to have been sacked by the prime minister in May and denied he was "working in league with Tony Blair or Downing Street". |