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Brown offers challenge to critics Brown fights back against critics
(about 2 hours later)
Gordon Brown has challenged his political opponents by declaring he would welcome a Labour leadership contest after Tony Blair stands down. Gordon Brown has begun a fightback against his critics by insisting he had nothing to do with the attempt to unseat Tony Blair as prime minister.
In an interview for the BBC's Sunday AM programme the chancellor also denied he was involved in an attempt to unseat the prime minister. In an interview for the BBC's Sunday AM, Mr Brown said he had told anyone who had asked him that it was for Mr Blair to decide when he stepped down.
On Saturday Mr Blair warned of the risk to Labour if the infighting continued. The chancellor said Labour's infighting in the past week was "not acceptable".
Mr Brown has said it was wrong to assume he was smiling in photographs because of the pressure on the PM. He also dismissed criticisms from former Home Secretary Charles Clarke that he was a "control freak".
The prime minister's likely successor had earlier been criticised by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke for grinning after he left a meeting with Mr Blair. Mr Brown swept aside claims he lacked the ability to get on with other ministers.
But Mr Brown told the News of the World newspaper: "A photographer with a long lens got me joking to one of the people who works for me about my young family. There was nothing else." He insisted he was a "team player" but said chancellors sometimes had to "say no" to other ministers in the interests of the country.
Speculation about the Labour leadership continues to dominate the Sunday newspapers. I am happy for there to be a leadership contest - I think there should be Gordon Brown href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5331730.stm" class="">Harman call on policy href="/1/hi/uk/5331752.stm" class="">Papers focus on leadership
I am happy for there to be a leadership contest - I think there should be Gordon Brown href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5331730.stm" class="">Harman call on policy href="/1/hi/uk/5331772.stm" class="">Papers focus on leadership Mr Clarke reignited the leadership controversy on Friday when he said Mr Brown had been "absolutely stupid" to be photographed grinning broadly as he left talks with Mr Blair last week.
According to the minister for constitutional affairs, Harriet Harman, party members were disillusioned by policies identified with Tony Blair. The photos prompted speculation he had done a deal with the prime minister over his departure date.
But in the interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr he said: "I was actually smiling, talking to one of my colleagues about my new baby... It was nothing to do with politics."
Mr Brown denied the pair had argued and said they had been talking about the "business of government".
Some union leaders at the TUC conference in Brighton, which starts on Sunday, are calling for Mr Blair to go now.
Speculation about the Labour leadership dominated the Sunday newspapers.
According to the Constitutional Affairs Minister, Harriet Harman, party members were disillusioned by policies identified with Tony Blair.
The Iraq war now symbolises "mistrust and division" between Labour's leadership and voters, she wrote in the Sunday Times.The Iraq war now symbolises "mistrust and division" between Labour's leadership and voters, she wrote in the Sunday Times.
The prime minister faced further questions about his leadership on a trip to Israel for talks on Middle East peace.The prime minister faced further questions about his leadership on a trip to Israel for talks on Middle East peace.
However, at a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert, Mr Blair repeated a call he wanted an end to personal attacks in his party. But at a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert, Mr Blair repeated a call to end personal attacks within his party.
'Ill advised''Ill advised'
Mr Brown will restate his readiness for a leadership contest and determination to lead a "government of all the talents" in the pre-recorded interview with the Sunday AM programme. Mr Brown restated his readiness for a leadership contest and determination to lead a "government of all the talents" in his Sunday AM programme interview.
Speaking in the interview with Andrew Marr, which was recorded on Saturday, he said he was not aware of the letter by Labour MPs calling for Mr Blair to stand down before it was made public and would have said it was "ill advised" if he had been consulted about the letter. I was actually smiling, talking to one of my colleagues about my new baby... It was nothing to do with politics Gordon Brown
Any suggestion that I or those acting for me were directly involved in this is absolute nonsense Gordon Brown He said he had not been aware of the letter by Labour MPs calling for Mr Blair to stand down before it was made public and would have said it was "ill advised" if he had been consulted about the letter.
And interviewed for the first time since the turmoil surrounding the Labour leadership began, Mr Brown told the News of the World: "I am happy for there to be a leadership contest. I think there should be. It has emerged that the minister who signed the letter and then resigned, Tom Watson, visited Mr Brown while on holiday in Scotland.
"This is not a time for deals, this is not a time for private statements," he added, although he conceded that "there is an issue, obviously, when a prime minister says that he is not going to contest the next election". But Mr Watson says he just dropped in to leave a present for Mr Brown's new baby and did not discuss the letter at all.
His comments come after Mr Clarke accused him of being a "control freak" who lacked the courage to take tough decisions. Mr Brown said he would have no problem with any of his Cabinet colleagues challenging him for the top job.
Mr Brown rebuffed the criticisms, insisting: "I am a team player." "It's good for the party if there is an election," he said.
Mr Brown denied he was grinning about the crisis Asked how a Brown government would different, the chancellor said people said he did not concentrate on his image.
He also denied claims he saw himself as the prime minister's anointed successor and believed he should assume the leadership in an unopposed "coronation". He said he was driven by a "moral compass" and was determined not to "walk by on the other side".
And, rejecting suggestions he encouraged a rebel letter that sought to undermine Mr Blair, the chancellor said: "I made it very clear to people all week, privately, that Tony should make his own decision and we should support that decision.
"Any suggestion that I or those acting for me were directly involved in this is absolute nonsense."
The chancellor said the idea that "personal tension" between himself and the prime minister prompted an argument when they met at Downing Street on Wednesday was "completely wrong".
Peter Hain - secretary of state for Northern Ireland and Wales - has said anyone who hopes to defeat Mr Brown in a leadership contest faced a "forlorn mission".
"In my view I don't think anyone else could or should beat Gordon," he told the Independent on Sunday.
Sunday AM presented by Andrew Marr will be broadcast on Sunday 10 September 2006 at 0900 BST on BBC One.