Milburn: dismissed newspaper 'speculation'

Alan Milburn has rubbished newspaper reports of a secret deal to hand power to Gordon Brown after the election.

Labour's election co-ordinator made clear that Tony Blair was planning to serve a full third term, and dismissed the speculation as "complete soap opera politics".

The Independent on Sunday reported that former Number 10 communications director Alastair Campbell had been drafted in to help smooth Brown's transition to the top job.

It said Brown had been assured there was "no other contender" for the leadership role.

With many polls suggesting voters are actually receptive to a "vote Blair, get Brown" message speculation has been rife that Blair would step down early in a third term.

A poll in the same newspaper suggested Labour's lead would more than double to 14 per cent if Brown were leader.

But Blair has insisted he would serve a full third term, telling reporters at the Labour manifesto launch "When I say a full third term, that's exactly what I mean."

Speaking to Sky News, Milburn re-iterated that commitment.

"Tony has made it perfectly clear that he is going to serve a full term - he isn't going to fight a fourth election," he said.

"That is the decision he has made and when he makes a decision he sticks to it. So we know exactly what it means: it's going to be a full term.

"This is complete soap opera politics. In the end I do not believe that what the public are interested in is who's up and who's down.

"I think what they are interested in is the great issues that affect ordinary, decent, hard-working families and pensioners in this country."