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Labour 'big beast' Charles Clarke breaks silence with blast at 'foolish' Brown
Last updated at 00:52am on 20.12.07
Broadside: Charles Clarke
Under fire: Gordon Brown has been attacked for his disloyalty
Gordon Brown found himself under fire from one of Labour's "big beasts" - former Home Secretary Charles Clarke.
He claimed MPs were "appalled" by the Prime Minister's language about "British jobs for British workers".
Embarrassingly for Mr Brown, he accused him of being "disloyal" to Tony Blair when he was Chancellor.
The spat overshadowed what has been a behind-the-scenes effort by Mr Brown to find a role for Mr Clarke in his government.
The former Home Secretary was not offered a return to the front bench when Mr Brown took over in June, but has been asked to consider a number of jobs by the Prime Minister.
In an interview with the Guardian, Mr Clarke suggested Mr Brown had failed to support his best people.
And he described his appointment of former UN official Lord Malloch Brown as a Foreign Office minister as "foolish".
He also claimed many MPs had been "appalled" by the premier's controversial pledge of "British jobs for British workers".
Mr Clarke said there would have been 'massive controversy' in the Labour Party in previous decades over the "British jobs for British workers" slogan.
But he went on: "Ask the MPs here (in Westminster) and there are a large number who are appalled but are loyal to the leader and haven't spoken out about it."
Mr Clarke, who did not nominate Mr Brown for the Labour leadership, has stayed quiet during the past six months, amid claims that he is profoundly uneasy about the way the party has slumped in the polls.
"I think the appointment of Malloch Brown was foolish," Mr Clarke told the Guardian.
He added: "Tony would always support his key people. Gordon should do that with his people."
A leading Blairite, Mr Clarke also said the amount of loyalty shown to the Prime Minister now was in contrast to that displayed by Mr Brown towards his predecessor.
"It is staggering given his disloyalty to Tony," he said.
Mr Clarke is known to be worried about Labour's prospects at the next general election, but has been at pains to distance himself from Blairite campaigns to challenge Mr Brown.
Tony Blair and his key supporters both in the Commons and outside are privately dismayed by Mr Brown's performance and are said to be preparing to back David Miliband as his successor in the event of a Labour defeat on polling day in 2009 or 2010.
Privately Mr Clarke is worried about the way Mr Brown has handled the past few months, in particular the fiasco of the abandoned autumn election.
He is also concerned about signs of a breakdown in the relationship between the Prime Minister and key Cabinet ministers.
Although his interview with the Guardian took place a month ago, its publication will be seen as evidence that Mr Brown's critics are gearing up for a New Year offensive.
The collapse of Labour's standing in the polls has had a devastating impact on morale among MPs, many of whom now fear for their seats at the next election.
Downing Street praised Mr Clarke earlier this month as "a distinguished and experienced former minister who has much to offer public life in the future."
Both sides agreed to play down the impact of the former Home Secretary's assessment, leaving the way open for Mr Clarke to agree a Government role next year, although the prospects of a deal remain slim.
At his monthly press conference, Mr Brown suggested that Mr Clarke's comments had been "distorted".
He said: "Charles Clarke has got a very important role to play in the future."
And he claimed he worked in close consultation with other Cabinet colleagues.
"All the discussions that we have in the Cabinet revolve around the important long-term challenges we face," he went on.
"Just as I worked with Tony Blair, I work with all my colleagues in the Cabinet."
Following Mr Clarke's broadside, however, another Labour backbencher said there was concern about Mr Brown's leadership.
Thurrock MP Andrew Mackinlay told Radio 4's The World At One: "There is some disappointment, particularly from the election that never was.
"There's a degree of concern but I wouldn't want to exaggerate it. I deliberately use the word "disappointment" rather than "despair"."
Reader views (13)
"Tony Blair and his key supporters both in the Commons and outside are privately dismayed by Mr Brown's performance and are said to be preparing to back David Miliband as his successor in the event of a Labour defeat on polling day in 2009 or 2010."
What? Support for the boy blunder to replace and already failed experiment, Mr Brown? The future looks just a little grim for the Labour Party, methinks... something to celebrate!
- Rogan, Dallas TX
One thing Labour MP's are in agreement with the majority of the population.
- R M, London, UK
I am surprised that anyone would take seriously these comments from a failed ex-Minister who clearly doesn't realise how little he has to offer.
I am surprised that such prominence is given in the media to the views of a disaffected ex-employee who was sacked for serial incompetence in his former job as Home Secretary, a position for which he was clearly ill-suited.
Rather than hammer on about Gordon Brown's personality flaws, he should look to solving some of his own personality problems before speaking out about others'.
- Tony, Aylesbury, UK
Tom, if you really think Brown represents Old Labour, you really need to do your Politics homework. He's still carrying on the Thatcherite tradition that Blair did so much to uphold.
- Charlie, Soho
Like we value the views of that non-entity.
- Givenuphope, London
Be patient-This government will limp along till the next election.
The electorate have probably already decided it's fate--and that means not only a change of prime minister but a change of party as well!
Mr Brown will bitterly regret not capitalising on those high favourable polls at the end of the summer!
- William Grierson, Kimpton, UK
Why was Mr Clarke "appalled" by the Premier's controversial pledge of "British jobs for British workers". This is one of the few sensible things Brown has said, although it was a load of rubbish. I suppose Mr Clarke is another one of these MPs who just want more and more immigration.
- Dardellion Montblanc, London, UK
...and the rest of this country is appalled by Brown too! get this unelected buffoon off now before the old Labour chaos and incompetence is unleashed again in the UK.
- Tom, St. Albans
We have no real men/women in politics, today that have the respect of the
electorate. Most of them were the lucky school children that went to university studied politics, have never worked for a living, never lived in the real world and are now making decisions and laws that are destroying the infrastructure of this country.
- Mick, Wellingborough, UK
A leader Gordon Brown is not. He should resign. After 10 years the British economy needs repairing.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Isn't Brown just picking up all of the pieces left behind by Tony? Frankly the whole lot of them are liars and the sooner we get rid of them the better. My vote for David Cameron.
- Jk, London
What a useless lot! Life under Blair's regime was just as bad as now but somehow he managed to bamboozle the voters until the end of his Premiership.
- Bill, London
Sounds a little Machiavellian to me. Perhaps Clarke should put up or shut up. Still it's all grist for David Cameron's mill.
- El-Cid., Hull, East Yorks.
