'Depressed' Tony Blair 'almost stood down over Iraq war'
'Depressed' Tony Blair 'almost stood down over Iraq war'
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Sunday, 28, Feb 2010 09:46
By Lewis Bazley.
The pressure of the invasion of Iraq saw former prime minister Tony Blair consider standing down, according to a new book, with Gordon Brown allegedly angered by his change of mind.
Current prime minister and former chancellor Mr Brown reacted "like a belligerent teenager" when Mr Blair decided against leaving office in 2004, according to political commentator Andrew Rawnsley.
The journalist's book has already provoked a political storm in recent weeks for Mr Brown by claiming the prime minister was advised by cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell to monitor his treatment of staff at 10 Downing Street.
The claims subsequently saw the head of an anti-bullying charity allege the organisation had been contacted by Downing Street staff.
In the latest extracts from Mr Rawnsley's book The End of the Party, which is being serialised in the Observer, it is claimed Mr Blair decided to step down in summer 2004, having been concerned by the progress of Western operations in Iraq.
Sally Morgan, the former prime minister's director of government relations, told Mr Rawnsley: "Iraq was a quicksand swallowing him up. The atrocities. Those terrible photos [of Abu Ghraib].
"And he started losing people who had supported him throughout. He was stuck in this long dark tunnel and could see no way out of it."
But after encouragement from his wife Cherie and Peter [now Lord] Mandelson - who is quoted as telling Mr Blair he was the "best politician in this country by a mile" - Mr Blair changed his mind and remained in office.
He eventually stepped down in 2007.
The reputed U-turn was not well received by Mr Brown, with a member of Mr Blair's "inner circle" describing fury on the then chancellor's part.
"Gordon was just losing it," the source is quoted as saying. "He was behaving like a belligerent teenager. Just standing in the office shouting: 'When are you going to f****** go?'"