Tony Blair described Gordon Brown as "mad, bad, dangerous and beyond hope of redemption" as their relationship broke down over the Labour leadership, according to Peter Mandelson.

Mr Blair promised Mr Brown in 2003 that he would step aside and not fight the next general election.

But around the same time, the then-Prime Minister's advisers drew up a plan - named "Operation Teddy Bear" - to split the Treasury in two and weaken Mr Brown's power.

The former Business Secretary, whose memoirs are serialised in the Times, also reveals Mr Blair considered moving his rival to the Foreign Office but decided that the move may lead Mr Brown to resign and become a greater threat.

During their time at the top of British politics, Mr Blair described Mr Brown as "flawed, lacking perspective and having a paranoia about him".

"He's like something out of the mafiosi," he said.

"He's aggressive, brutal...there's no one to match Gordon for someone who articulates high principles while practising the lowest skulduggery."

Mr Blair also said John Prescott was scared of Mr Brown. "He know there's something wrong with him."

Operation Teddy Bear was devised by Mandelson, John Birt - the former BBC chief who because a Number 10 adviser, and Jonathan Powell, Mr Blair's chief of staff.

The plan was to create a US-style Office of Budget and Delivery, leaving Mr Brown in charge of a new Ministry of Finance.

The-then Chancellor would have lost control of departmental spending.

Has anyone seen that advert (I've only seen it on 4od) with Peter Mandelson? Because it was just creepy.

Oh yes. Darth Mandelson in a smoking jacket. Very weird.
Strangely he reminded me of:

For once I agree with Blair.

"He's aggressive, brutal...there's no one to match Gordon for someone who articulates high principles while practising the lowest skulduggery."

I think that applies to both of them. New Labour practiced the policy of smear and attack anyone who "is against them" to move the agenda away from the actual message.

Well Cameron is doing the same, attacking the former government for the financial mess, yet practically every western government is in the same boat as a result of collapsing tax revenues. Are they trying to say that the Germans were inept wasteful as Labour? It is simply spin. That is what politicians do to manipulate us to support their ideas.

The last government did sweet FA to regulate the city and the banks. They stood idly by spending everything that was in the kitty and more. Also loading up the country with a poisoned pill PFI commitment. The best thing that happened to the Labour party was losing the election. Otherwise they would be the ones having to deal with the almighty mess.
Im not saying the coalition is going to be any better but they have a bloody good excuse for what they are doing, the so called Iron chancellor was on the surface good but a bit like katie price, from a distance (and a few beers, sorry make that a lot of beers ) ok but on closer inspection rancid and pathetic.

Yes, thank the lord for David Cameron and his pet lib-dem, we're all in much better hands now.