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Mandelson e-mails list PM's flaws Leaked Brown e-mail 'not hostile'
(about 6 hours later)
E-mails sent by Lord Mandelson which portray Gordon Brown as insecure, self-conscious and "angry" have emerged in a Sunday newspaper. Lord Mandelson has said an e-mail in which he described Gordon Brown as "self conscious" and "angry" was not intended to be hostile.
They suggest the PM could better use his time creating policy, rather than "telling people you watch X-Factor". The business secretary said the e-mail, written in January 2008 - months before he returned to cabinet - had been "misrepresented" by the Mail on Sunday.
The e-mails, revealed in the Mail on Sunday, were sent in January 2008 before Lord Mandelson returned to the cabinet as business secretary. He told the BBC it had simply said the PM had to "be what he is" and not have some "artificial persona" glued to him.
His spokesman said they had been taken out of context. It comes as Lord Mandelson warns rebel Labour MPs to get behind Mr Brown.
Earlier this week, Lord Mandelson urged Labour MPs not to sign a letter calling on Mr Brown to resign as prime minister. Asked repeatedly about the e-mail on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, he said: "I'm not going to comment on every stray Chinese whisper, rumour or old email that other people want to make a mountain out of a molehill of."
What Peter Mandelson was saying is that Gordon Brown should just be himself Lord Mandelson's spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8087000.stm">Brown focused on 'task in hand' The prime minister is a politician not a pop star Lord Mandelson
He said the content and context had been "completely misrepresented".
"It was not hostile to or about the prime minister," he said.
"What it said is that the prime minister needs to be what he is, be what he stands for and believes in and the values he has - and not listen to people who are trying to glue some artificial persona onto him."
He added: "The prime minister is a politician, not a pop star. He concentrates on getting his policies right, not being a showman.
The Mail on Sunday and Sunday Times published extracts from the e-mail, sent to former Labour spin doctor Derek Draper.
The Sunday Times said they were part of a wider e-mail debate about a book called the Political Brain, by US psychology professor Drew Western, which looked at which qualities made politicians successful.
The paper reported that Lord Mandelson had written that Mr Brown was "not as comfortable in his own skin" as his predecessor, Tony Blair.
He wrote that Mr Brown should "be himself", adding: "This is not a substitute for policy formulation and taking well-prepared, well-ordered decisions."
He said Mr Brown was "a self-conscious person, physically and emotionally" but said it would improve when he won public approval: "Then he will visibly relax. He will be enjoying himself. Not so angry."
Publication of the e-mails comes at the end of a bitter week for the prime minister, in which he has seen Labour heavily defeated in local elections, the resignation of senior cabinet colleagues and growing calls for his resignation.Publication of the e-mails comes at the end of a bitter week for the prime minister, in which he has seen Labour heavily defeated in local elections, the resignation of senior cabinet colleagues and growing calls for his resignation.
The Mail on Sunday said the e-mails were originally sent to former Labour spin doctor Derek Draper.
'Uncomfortable'
Mr Draper was recently embroiled in the controversy over plans by ex-Downing Street assistant Damian McBride to smear leading Conservative politicians.Mr Draper was recently embroiled in the controversy over plans by ex-Downing Street assistant Damian McBride to smear leading Conservative politicians.
In the e-mails, Lord Mandelson writes that Mr Brown should "be himself".
But he adds: "This is not a substitute for policy formulation and taking well-prepared, well-ordered decisions."
Describing the prime minister, he said: "He is a self-conscious person, physically and emotionally... not as comfortable in his own skin as Tony [Blair - his predecessor] was."
Lord Mandelson's spokesman said: "This e-mail was sent over a year ago in response to suggestions that Gordon Brown needed to change his image.
"What Peter Mandelson was saying is that Gordon Brown should just be himself, artificiality doesn't work in politics and that what he is and what he stands for - and the policies he is pursuing - should be allowed to speak for themselves.
"He maintains this view."