Downing St staff 'called National Bullying Helpline'
Downing St rejects claims Gordon Brown was warned by Cabinet secretary over violent behaviour towards staff
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Sunday, 21, Feb 2010 06:28
By Matthew Champion.
People working in Gordon Brown's office have called the National Bullying Helpline, its chief executive has said after No 10 denied claims in a new book that the prime minister had been warned over his behaviour by the Cabinet secretary.
Christine Pratt said the anti-bullying charity had received "three of four" calls in as many years from staff working closely with Mr Brown.
Earlier business secretary Lord Mandelson told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show the prime minister "doesn't bully people"
The Observer has begun serialising extracts from chief political commentator Andrew Rawnsley's The End of the Party, claiming that reports of the prime minister's treatment of aides was so extreme that Sir Gus O' Donnell gave him a "pep talk" on modifying his behaviour.
No 10 said the claim was "totally without foundation" and "malicious", but Ms Pratt told the BBC that "outright denial is just non-credible in today's age".
"Over recent months we have had several inquiries from the PM's, from staff within Gordon Brown's office," she said. "Some have downloaded information; some have actually called our helpline directly and I have spoken to staff in his office."
Ms Pratt added: "We are not suggesting that Gordon Brown is a bully, what we are saying is staff in his office working directly with him have issues, and have concerns, and have contacted our helpline."
Earlier a statement from the Cabinet Office had said: "It is categorically not the case that the cabinet secretary asked for an investigation of the prime minister's treatment of No 10 staff.
"These assertions have been put to the cabinet secretary who has rejected them."
The hype ahead of today's Observer had suggested that Mr Brown would be accused of physically hitting staff, but instead the extracts painted the prime minister as an increasingly paranoid and lonely figure after the election that never was in 2007.
The rumours were so substantial, however, that on the eve of the serialisation Mr Brown was forced to deny ever hitting anybody in his life.
The prime minister was asked about the allegations by Channel 4 News after unveiling Labour's slogan for the forthcoming general election; "a future fair for all".
"If I get angry I get angry with myself," he said.
"I have never hit anybody in my life. Let me just say absolutely clearly so that there is absolutely no misunderstanding about that. I have never, never hit anybody in my life.
"I don't do these sort of things."
The prime minister added: "Every morning I get up with a determination to do my best for this country and any allegations that have been made about hitting people or anything are completely untrue."
"I'm very strong-willed, I'm very determined. I think the country wants someone that will push things forward and not allow things to be stagnant and stale.