Blair: The darkness in Gordon's heart will bring him down

From Mail Online by SIMON WALTERS
Last updated at 11:32 PM on 06th June 2009

Tony Blair believes Gordon Brown's political future is doomed because of 'the darkness in his heart' and his 'lies' - and feels Mr Brown has no one to blame but himself.

The former Prime Minister's devastating verdict on his successor is a blow to Mr Brown's hopes of surviving further moves to topple him, expected this week.

Publicly, Mr Blair has kept out of the row. However, The Mail on Sunday can disclose that privately he shares the view held by Labour rebels that Mr Brown will lead the Party to a disastrous defeat at the next Election.

'Reservations': Tony Blair, pictured with Gordon Brown in 2004, believes he has failed to show the leadership needed, friends say

In a damning verdict on Mr Brown's character, Mr Blair said of the Prime Minister recently: 'The darkness in his heart and the lies will be his downfall.'

Friends of Mr Blair say he has been 'saddened' by Mr Brown's performance and believes that he has failed to show the necessary leadership or policies.

'Gordon's performance has confirmed Tony's reservations about his suitability to be PM,' said one source.

'He hoped he would be a success and has tried to support him and offered what advice he can. But he always feared Gordon may not have the right temperament or character to do the job and that's how it has turned out.'

Another source close to Mr Blair claimed Mr Brown's wounds were 'self-inflicted'. He added: 'Tony's view is that Gordon has brought this all on himself. He spent years plotting against Tony and is in no position to complain now that it is happening to him.

'The people trying to get him out learned how to do it from Gordon's people. It takes a moment to inject the poison, but years to drain it.'

Cabinet rebels, led by former Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell - a close friend and ally of Mr Blair - have strenuously denied that the former Prime Minister is involved in the attempted coup against Mr Brown.

But the revelation that he has expressed such a withering assessment of Mr Brown's personal and political prospects will be seized upon by the Prime Minister's allies as evidence of disloyalty by Mr Blair.

The bitter remark about Mr Brown's 'lies' stems from a series of rows the pair had during the Blair years. Mr Blair repeatedly claimed in private that Mr Brown did not always tell him the truth.

It is not the first time Mr Blair has been accused of undermining his successor. The Mail on Sunday disclosed last year how he attacked Mr Brown in a secret memo, accusing him of a 'lamentable' and 'vacuous' performance.

In it, Mr Blair said that before he quit Downing Street in 2007, Tory leader David Cameron was 'in trouble' but that he was now on course to win power as a result of Mr Brown's 'fatal' blunders.

The memo denounced Mr Brown for 'dissing our own record' and claiming he would replace Labour 'spin' with a more 'honest' style.