Blair to stamp authority while Brown is away

Tony Blair is preparing to reassert his leadership while Gordon Brown is away on a six-day tour of Africa. The Prime Minister will stamp his authority in a keynote speech tomorrow and bluntly refuse to water down controversial ideas for public service reforms.

Mr Brown arrived in Kenya this morning on the first leg of his tour, in which he will study schemes to alleviate poverty.

He was meeting Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai and President Mwai Kibaki before flying to Tanzania.

Mr Brown's supporters have suggested that the Chancellor is opposed to some of Mr Blair's policies. But in his speech, Mr Blair will insist that the Government will stick to plans for more private investment in schools and hospitals - issues thought to have been singled out by Mr Brown.

Spinning appeared to continue today. According to a report in the Independent, Mr Blair's allies have denied he ever promised Mr Brown that he would retire before the coming general election.