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| Ed Balls' memos reveal Brown pressure on Blair | Ed Balls' memos reveal Brown pressure on Blair |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Leaked Labour memos have shed new light on efforts by Gordon Brown and his allies to replace Tony Blair as prime minister after the 2005 election. | Leaked Labour memos have shed new light on efforts by Gordon Brown and his allies to replace Tony Blair as prime minister after the 2005 election. |
| Personal papers belonging to the now shadow chancellor Ed Balls >have been obtained by the Daily Telegraph. | |
| Mr Blair said in 2004 that he would not serve a fourth term and Mr Brown was widely expected to succeed him. | Mr Blair said in 2004 that he would not serve a fourth term and Mr Brown was widely expected to succeed him. |
| They show key Brown allies were involved in a rebranding exercise codenamed "Project Volvo". | They show key Brown allies were involved in a rebranding exercise codenamed "Project Volvo". |
| It was named after the car Mr Brown's supporters believed voters most associated with him. | It was named after the car Mr Brown's supporters believed voters most associated with him. |
| BBC deputy political editor James Landale said that - after gossip and memoirs dealing with the same topic - the memos document the scale and detail of negotiations over when Mr Blair would stand down. | BBC deputy political editor James Landale said that - after gossip and memoirs dealing with the same topic - the memos document the scale and detail of negotiations over when Mr Blair would stand down. |
| He said that aside from their historical interest, there was also the question of whether any of the revelations could damage some of those on the current Labour frontbench, who were close to Mr Brown at the time, including Ed Miliband. | He said that aside from their historical interest, there was also the question of whether any of the revelations could damage some of those on the current Labour frontbench, who were close to Mr Brown at the time, including Ed Miliband. |
| Labour said the revelations were all "ancient history". | Labour said the revelations were all "ancient history". |
| 'Muddled' | 'Muddled' |
| The Daily Telegraph has obtained more than 30 memos belonging to Mr Balls, one of Mr Brown's closest advisers, although it also names current Labour leader Mr Miliband and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander as being involved in "Project Volvo". | The Daily Telegraph has obtained more than 30 memos belonging to Mr Balls, one of Mr Brown's closest advisers, although it also names current Labour leader Mr Miliband and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander as being involved in "Project Volvo". |
| The documents are believed to have disappeared from the Department for Education - Mr Balls' former department - during last year's general election, and an investigation has begun into the leak. | The documents are believed to have disappeared from the Department for Education - Mr Balls' former department - during last year's general election, and an investigation has begun into the leak. |
| They disclose details of secret meetings, opinion polls on Mr Blair's policies and attempts to rebrand Mr Brown's image. They also show Mr Brown's supporters met on 21 July 2005 - the day of attempted terrorist attacks on London. | They disclose details of secret meetings, opinion polls on Mr Blair's policies and attempts to rebrand Mr Brown's image. They also show Mr Brown's supporters met on 21 July 2005 - the day of attempted terrorist attacks on London. |
| The papers also include letters exchanged between Mr Blair and Mr Brown, which provide greater insight into the rivalry at the top of the Labour party and show them haggling over the terms of a handover of No 10. | The papers also include letters exchanged between Mr Blair and Mr Brown, which provide greater insight into the rivalry at the top of the Labour party and show them haggling over the terms of a handover of No 10. |
| In February 2006, Mr Blair wrote to Mr Brown: "You (understandably) want me to go now. | In February 2006, Mr Blair wrote to Mr Brown: "You (understandably) want me to go now. |
| "You need to be the candidate of continuity and change. The second will be relatively easy to do. A different person is, by its nature, change." | "You need to be the candidate of continuity and change. The second will be relatively easy to do. A different person is, by its nature, change." |
| But, said Mr Blair, to be the candidate of continuity would require a "clear demonstration" to the public that Mr Blair, as the embodiment of New Labour, was "working hand in hand with the successor". | But, said Mr Blair, to be the candidate of continuity would require a "clear demonstration" to the public that Mr Blair, as the embodiment of New Labour, was "working hand in hand with the successor". |
| Suggesting a deal under which he would leave in summer 2007, Mr Blair said that in return he would need "full help and co-operation" on key reforms to the NHS, schools, welfare and energy. | Suggesting a deal under which he would leave in summer 2007, Mr Blair said that in return he would need "full help and co-operation" on key reforms to the NHS, schools, welfare and energy. |
| And he warned: "Whilst I remain PM, the final decision has to be mine; and that cannot provoke a breakdown. I will try, at all costs, to avoid disagreement, but there can't be stalemate if it happens." | And he warned: "Whilst I remain PM, the final decision has to be mine; and that cannot provoke a breakdown. I will try, at all costs, to avoid disagreement, but there can't be stalemate if it happens." |
| On a copy of the letter he passed to Mr Balls, Mr Brown scribbled the words "shallow", "inconsistent" and "muddled". | On a copy of the letter he passed to Mr Balls, Mr Brown scribbled the words "shallow", "inconsistent" and "muddled". |
| Mr Blair said in October 2004 that if elected again the following year he would serve a full third term as prime minister, but not seek a fourth. | Mr Blair said in October 2004 that if elected again the following year he would serve a full third term as prime minister, but not seek a fourth. |
| He also said Mr Brown would be "very capable" of being prime minister and could take over "at the end of a third term". | He also said Mr Brown would be "very capable" of being prime minister and could take over "at the end of a third term". |
| Mr Blair eventually ended a long period of speculation over his departure date by standing down in June 2007. | Mr Blair eventually ended a long period of speculation over his departure date by standing down in June 2007. |