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A defiant Gordon Brown today vowed to carry on as Labour leader and rejected Westminster gossip that he might stand down before the election.
Amid speculation among some MPs that he could retire on health grounds, Mr Brown said firmly that he will lead Labour into the election, which is expected in May.
"I think that's the right thing to do," he told GMTV. "When you've set off on a journey, you have got to complete that journey."
Mr Brown spoke out as he set off to New York for four hectic days of international diplomacy that will last right up to the Labour Party conference starting in Brighton this weekend.
The Prime Minister hopes success on the global stage, to match his acclaimed chairmanship of the London Summit earlier this year, will bolster his stature and authority ahead of the Brighton gathering, where his leadership will be hotly debated by activists, MPs and ministers.
There has been a steady stream of rumours in recent months, most fuelled by political enemies, that he might quit before the election.
A new book by political journalist Adam Boulton claims that Tony Blair has privately suggested that Mr Brown may "duck out" of the election, possibly on health grounds. He writes: "In private Mr Blair commented to several friends that history showed Mr Brown to be a quitter not a fighter."
Mr Brown's fightback was dented by another dismal poll today. An overwhelming majority of voters think Labour is failing to be truthful about the dire state of the public finances, ICM found for the Guardian.
Just 14 per cent think ministers are being honest - half the level who trust the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.
The survey suggested that David Cameron is winning the critical battle over spending cuts. His party was up two points to 43 per cent, Labour was up one to 26, with the Lib-Dems unchanged on 19. The danger for the Prime Minister is that his strategy on the economy could be undermined by any failure on the global stage, while his absence gives critics a free run to make mischief at home.
There were worries about an apparent rift with President Obama after the US leader failed to find time in this week's schedule for one-to-one talks with the British leader. Downing Street said there were plenty of opportunities for them to chat, and pointed out that no other European leader was being granted bilateral talks.
However, the appearance of a possible snub was sensitive after Mr Obama expressed dismay at the freeing of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. The prime minister is desperately hoping that Colonel Gaddafi of Libya will not seek him out for a handshake in front of the cameras when they are in the same room.
Mr Brown will make a speech to the United Nations General Assembly and chair several side-meetings on climate change and health.
He then joins the elite club of big economies for the G20 in Pittsburgh on Thursday night where he and President Obama will warn that it is too soon to "switch off the life support" on the global economy.
On another front, the Prime Minister claimed that he knew nothing about a document setting out plans to attack the Conservatives, which was unwittingly on show when carried by Lord Mandelson into talks at No 10 yesterday.
He said: "I don't know if I have seen any of this." He said he talked to Lord Mandelson "all the time" because they were in government, adding: "That's what my job is, it's not attacking people, it's getting on with the job."
Five days of tough summits
Tonight
Brown in New York to co-chair a round table discussion and dinner on climate change — a key debate at the UN general assembly.
One to watch: Can China and the wealthy West agree on moves to cut carbon emissions in time for the Copenhagen summit in December?
Tomorrow
Speech to the General Assembly. Brown has signalled his priorities are the economy, climate change, poverty, nuclear proliferation and terrorism. Will also chair a discussion on health care in poorer countries, promoting moves to provide free care for pregnant women and children in Africa.
One to watch: Can he wangle a one-to-one meeting with President Obama — and can he avoid a public handshake with fellow speaker Colonel Gaddafi?
Thursday
Obama chairs a session of the UN security council on nuclear proliferation and disarmament. Some leaders fly on to Pittsburgh for a dinner to start the second summit of the week, the G20, where Brown will urge a “new global compact” to secure prosperity.
One to watch: Will Brown mend fences with Obama by uniting against French and German calls for an early “exit strategy” from extra spending to
stimulate recovery?
Friday
G20 leaders have to thrash out agreements on the most pressing issues: How long to maintain the
spending stimulus and how to reform the financial industries.
One to watch: Can they agree practical measures to curb bankers' bonuses that would not undermine the City?
Saturday
Brown goes straight from Heathrow to the Labour conference in Brighton. Successes at the summit would boost his stature, but he still has a recession at home to grapple with.
One to watch: Will he enter Brighton with the glow of statecraft around him — or will critics back home have run amok in his absence?
Reader views (25)
I've been trawling the blogs for anyone who might offer a word of support for brown and labour. Anyone out there???
- John Bell, Nottm, UK, 22/09/2009 20:09
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That's right - he's no quitter! He's not going to give up until he takes the entire country down with him, grinding it into the dirt as he has done his own reputation. The next PM will probably have to send in an extraction team to get him out of No 10.
- Rogan, Irving, 22/09/2009 19:43
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Prudence has gone she should have taken Brown and Mandleson with her...
Strange Brown don't mention her no more.
I agree with Reuben 1000%:
NO credibility. NO mandate to govern. NO hope!
- Allan Pointon, stafford,endland, 22/09/2009 18:48
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Brown is a disaster for Britain,he knows it and his cabinet are only too aware of it,but nothing will change for at least eight months.This once great nation has been turned into a banana republic by the marxist shower in downing street,they've plundered every scrap of wealth that existed and put us into hock for at least twenty years,destroyed all of our manufacturing base,exposed us to terrorist attacks,created mass unemployment,allowed mass immigration and massive debt,and still the queen looks on waving her hand at the peasants,she probably doesn't recognise Britain anymore,but why would she care what happens to us?.
- General Lee'Wright, Communist Britain., 22/09/2009 16:39
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Time for a flush down the U-bend Mr Squitter. No U-turn required.
- Jilly, London, 22/09/2009 15:06
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He is so thick, in his head he still thinks everone wants him to stay to save the country....come the Labour conference when he makes his closing speech to all the Labour party thickos his final words will be "I'M READY FOR MY CLOSEUP" before the nice men lead him away
- El Del, Valencia Spain, 22/09/2009 14:44
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Stand by for Brown to be ignored by real elected leaders in the USA and then being ordered to quit at his own Party conference.
- Carl, London, 22/09/2009 14:09
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The Labour conference should be good for a laugh if nothing else.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 22/09/2009 13:58
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Brown - doubtless fuelled by the press and media - seems to think that if he talks and acts like a statesman, we will all think he is one. But he isn't. He's a failed treasurer who has presided over the biggest economic collapse since 1929.
He constantly wobbles on about "getting on with the job". But where are the jobs that have given us a high-speed rail network, new hospitals and schools and decent equipment for our armed forces?
All we have had is almost 13 years of hot air, rising taxes and broken manifesto promises.
Roll on May 2010.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 22/09/2009 13:41
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Brown will have to be dragged out of Downing Street. It's been his lifelong ambition to be PM and he obviously still believes that he is in charge. Let's hope that he takes his Chief Hypocrite, Lord Mandelson, with him when he disappears into political oblivion.
There' much talk of him being offered a big job in international finance when he goes but who would want to employ a loser.
- George, Cambridge UK, 22/09/2009 13:39
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Shame. I thought the old Carry On films were very funny. Kenneth Williams played a great Caesar in Carry On Cleo with his silly whining voice. Broon is not in the same league.
- Alan In Bow, London, 22/09/2009 13:05
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Byeeee
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, 22/09/2009 13:00
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The longer he waits, the longer he delays the inevitable election, the worse the result will be for him and his party. Annihilation awaits.
- Andrew, Ely UK, 22/09/2009 12:50
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A bumpy road back to gloomy Fife beckons the bottler - and there's a real possibility that the electorate will help him on his way with a collective size twelve boot up the jacksy as a parting gift. BRING IT ON!
- Ted, London, 22/09/2009 11:44
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Sounds like Eddie the Eagle but at least he was a nice man.
- Tojo, Hythe, 22/09/2009 11:40
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We’ve passed the point of no-return; had Broon resigned 6 months ago the country could have had an election and be bounding back into the black.
Since he didn’t, we will remain static until next spring and as a long-term result, that may not be a bad thing – a generation of voters will look back in anger at the recovery time this appalling Government has cost the country and I can’t foresee an other Labour Government for 20 years, which can only be a good thing based on this lot!
- St, London, 22/09/2009 11:31
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What a wonderful gift to the Conservatives !
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 22/09/2009 11:12
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I would have more respect for a man who realises he is completely out of his depth and retreats than a man who fiddles while Rome burns.
- Dannyp, Egham, 22/09/2009 11:08
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Downing street are only half way through the paper shredding process,so it will be at least another eight months before the general election !!
- General Lee'Wright, Communist Britain, 22/09/2009 10:51
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Getting on with the job, he's said that so many times he actually believes it.
- Albert Hall, Kettering, 22/09/2009 10:35
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'rejected Westminster gossip that he might step down before the election.' Sure sign that he'll be stepping down before the election.
- Phil Jones, London UK, 22/09/2009 10:10
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"I'm no quitter says Gordon Brown"
"That's correct your an annoying loser" Says Dan.
- Dan, London, 22/09/2009 10:05
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What an absolute paranoid parasite Gormless Brown is.
NO credibility. NO mandate to govern. NO hope!
I am eagerly looking forward to the next general election - I will throw a street party for all the starving children in my neighbourhood when NuLiebour gets demolished goodstyle.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 22/09/2009 09:56
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PITY.
- Alan Green, England. The forgotten country., 22/09/2009 09:56
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Let's hope this is another of his lies and that he will go very soon!!
- John Bush, London, 22/09/2009 09:51
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