Peer now fears for PM

May 2 2009 by William Green, The Journal

TONY Blair’s former law and order adviser has questioned if Gordon Brown has been “mortally wounded” amid growing doubts over his leadership.

Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate said recent rows engulfing the PM from Gurkhas to expenses had done him “no good” and branded aborted proposals to overhaul MPs’ expenses as being designed on the “back of a fag packet”.

The ex-Durham police chief – ennobled by Tony Blair – spoke out as Labour MPs demanded Mr Brown start listening to them amid fears they will be trounced the next general election.

Lord Mackenzie said Mr Brown had suffered because of the recession, although recent rows had not helped.

“I certainly think it has done him no good. Whether he is mortally wounded the jury is still out in a sense because I don’t think the public are totally convinced Cameron is the answer,” he said.

Referring to the Government’s defeat on its plans to allow a limited number of Gurkhas to live in the UK, he added: “On balance, I think Parliament was probably right to overturn what seemed to me to be a rather hasty proposal.”

Lord Mackenzie suggested the Prime Minister had been badly advised – a point echoed by Blaydon MP Dave Anderson, a Parliamentary aide to Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell.

Mr Anderson said Labour could still win the election, but added: “It has been a bad week across the board and I hope people have learned lessons, everybody in the party, certainly in the leadership.

“I suggest they should look for their political advice from their own backbench colleagues first. Come to us first, between us we have got huge political experience.”

Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell, who represents Middlesbrough, said: “I still have full confidence in the Prime Minister.

“But I have made a number of statements over the last week that he ought to look at his political advisers in Downing Street. The advice he has been given over the last two weeks was poor.”

Phil Wilson, who now represents Mr Blair’s old constituency, Sedgefield, said: “It is not easy times, but I wouldn’t write the Labour party off.”

The Labour backbencher added measures taken in the Budget and at the recent meeting of the world’s 20 richest nations meant the “main fundamentals” in terms of the economy were being addressed.

But ex-Home Secretary Charles Clarke said he felt “ashamed” to be a Labour MP and called for Mr Brown to “improve his performance”.