New questions on PM's electability

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Ministers moved to insist Mr Brown was safe in his job despite more dire polls and warnings that Labour would be punished in Thursday's local elections for scrapping the 10p tax rate.

His electability was called into question again after Lord Levy - one of Mr Blair's closest allies - said Mr Brown's predecessor felt he was incapable of beating David Cameron.

Mr Blair denied the claim by his former chief fundraiser and tennis partner, saying the premier could still win in what is likely to be a 2010 general election.

His comments were backed by a series of senior Labour figures, including Mr Brown's long-time foe Peter Mandelson.

But their confidence was contradicted by a poll of crucial marginal seats suggesting that Labour was on course to lose 131 MPs.

In a heavily-anticipated serialisation of his autobiography in the Mail on Sunday, Lord Levy claimed Mr Blair felt his chancellor and successor "could never beat" Mr Cameron.

Mr Blair's spokesman rejected the views attributed to him and said he "fully believes Labour, with Gordon Brown's leadership, can win the next election".

Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said Lord Levy was wrong. "It's been Labour's great fortune that we have had not one but two world class leaders in one generation. These are serious times and it's time for a very serious leader and that is exactly what Gordon Brown is."

Foreign Secretary David Miliband rejected any suggestion that Mr Brown would have to stand down if Labour was heavily defeated in Thursday's elections. "We know what's fatal - if we fail to defend the leader, we lose sight of our core convictions and we don't follow through on what we started," he said.