THE TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair lambasted Gordon Brown in his memoir A Journey as a political failure who had "zero" emotional intelligence.
The former prime minister’s memoir describes Mr Brown as "maddening" and blames him for allowing the Tories into power by deviating from his predecessor's New Labour strategy.
Mr Blair disclosed that his former chancellor put “relentless personal pressure” on him during his time in Number 10.
He admitted that he repeatedly considered sacking Mr Brown but failed to identify anyone who could replace him and eventually concluded that he was better “inside and constrained” than “outside and let loose”.
He also accuses his Chancellor of effectively trying to blackmail him into backing down over a pensions reform.
Mr Blair said Mr Brown lacked political instinct "at the human gut level", according to The Guardian.
He wrote: "Political calculation, yes. Political feelings, no. Analytical intelligence, absolutely. Emotional intelligence, zero."
He described Mr Brown as a “maddening figure” who was not capable of being a “normal bloke” sort of politician, but conceded that he possessed an acute “analytical intelligence” which stood him in good stead as chancellor.
In his long-awaited memoir, A Journey, Mr Blair wrote: “My failure to [remove him] was not a lack of courage…It was because I believed, despite it all, despite my own feelings at times, that he was the best chancellor for the country.” >>> Heidi Blake | Wednesday, September 01, 2010
