Brown hits back at claims he terrified his staff
Source: Agencies |
February 22, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
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BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown has rejected as baseless and malicious allegations published in a Sunday newspaper that he terrified staff by shouting abuse at them and in some cases had physically intimidated them.
The allegations, contained in excerpts from a new book published in The Observer, put Brown's character at the heart of Britain's political debate in the build-up to an election due by June that the ruling Labour Party is forecast to lose.
"These malicious allegations are totally without foundation and have never been put to Number 10," said a statement from Number 10 Downing Street, the prime ministerial office.
Speculation about Brown's behavior toward his staff dominated yesterday morning's news bulletins and chat shows, knocking off the agenda a major campaign speech he made on Saturday to try to win back voters tempted by the opposition Conservatives.
Opinion polls put the Conservatives far ahead of Labour, who have been in power for 13 years, but in recent weeks the gap has narrowed and Brown is trying to mount a fightback.
But his hopes of capturing the public imagination with his electoral pledges were dashed by the publication of excerpts from a new book by Observer political columnist Andrew Rawnsley.
Among other allegations, Rawnsley wrote that during fits of rage Brown had screamed at staff, grabbed one aide by his shirt collar, and thumped his fist into a car seat, causing another aide to cower in fear.
Brown has not responded to the specific allegations made by Rawnsley, but just before the excerpts were published he defended his character, saying he had never hit anybody.
"If I get angry, I get angry with myself," Brown said in a TV interview. Asked whether he swore at staff, threw things or shoved people, Brown said that he threw newspapers on the floor but had "never, never hit anybody in my life."
"I don't do these sorts of things," Brown added.
In separate comments to the Independent on Sunday newspaper, Brown said: "I may have done one or two good tackles at rugby, but the idea that is suggested in this so-called inside account is just ludicrous," he said.
Rawnsley defended his book, saying that it was based on detailed conversations with impeccable sources.
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