Blair and Brown 'best of friends'

Downing Street and the Treasury today set out to reinforce a declaration by Gordon Brown that he and Tony Blair are the closest of allies.

The Chancellor used a newspaper interview to lavish praise on the Prime Minister, stating: "Tony Blair is the best friend I've had in politics." His move followed a week of damaging stories about rifts at the heart of the Cabinet, sparked by former minister Mo Mowlam's claims that a split between Blairites and Brownites is poisoning New Labour.

Mr Brown's strong statement raised eyebrows among Westminster observers, especially when the Chancellor went out of his way to describe a series of Blairite ministers, including Home Secretary David Blunkett and Health Secretary Alan Milburn, as "brilliant".

The Chancellor broke his silence over suggestions that he is driven by a desire to succeed Mr Blair as prime minister, dismissing talk of his personal ambition as "offensive".

However, the interview failed to close down the debate over the subject thought to be the biggest source of tension between the two men - the timing of British entry to the single European currency.

The Blower cartoon