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Lord Levy publicly criticises Brown's leadership skills

27/04/2008

Lord Levy, one of Tony Blair's closest allies and the man at the centre of the cash-for-honours scandal, has publicly criticised prime minister Gordon Brown's leadership skills.

The former chief-fundraiser also claimed that Mr Blair told him that Mr Brown 'could never beat' David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party, in an election.

The comments, denied by Mr Blair's spokespeople, came in Lord Levy's memoirs which are currently being serialised in the Mail on Sunday.

"Firstly I'm a Labour man, always will be a Labour man, always have been a Labour man," Lord Levy told the Mail.

"My parents were, my family are, and I will never change my political viewpoint. I absolutely had total belief in Tony Blair, and I felt it was a privilege to help in any way I could both he and the Labour party," he added.

"I really am saddened to see the polls at the moment, what's happening with the party, the bickering within the party, and frankly what I and many others now perceive as a lack of strong leadership."

Lord Levy alleged that former prime minister Mr Blair had told him that he believed he could have won a fourth term in office if he had not stood down last year.

"But Gordon? 'He can't defeat Cameron,' Tony told me. Blair believed Cameron had major strengths - political timing, a winning personality and a natural ability to communicate to Middle England that Gordon would be unable to match," Lord Levy controversially claimed.

A spokesman for Mr Blair vehemently denied the claims, saying: "Tony Blair doesn't agree with the views attributed to him by Lord Levy and fully believes Labour with Gordon Brown's leadership can win the next election.

"Tony Blair said when he stood down that he would be 100 per cent loyal to Gordon Brown and that continues to be the case."

Lord Levy's comments come during a difficult period for Mr Brown, with polls showing Labour behind the Tories by record margins.

An ICM survey of crucial marginal seats for the News of the World shows that 131 Labour MPs would lose their seats if an election were to be called today.

The Conservatives have experienced a seven point increase compared to three years ago, on 40 per cent, while Labour are down 11 points, on 32 per cent.