Brown's £1.5 trillion 'rescue'

GORDON BROWN will bring forward a £1.5 trillion public spending plan to save Tony Blair's leadership.

The Chancellor will announce details of his three-year spending review several weeks early to try to shore up Labour's flagging fortunes, the Mail on Sunday has learned.

Spending announcements are usually made in July. But this year's has been pencilled in for next month, shortly after the 10 June local and European elections in which Labour is expected to suffer heavy losses.

Brown will announce that public spending will for the first time top £500bn a year - or £1.5 trillion over three years.

The review will lead to a blitz of Whitehall statements promising higher spending on schools, hospitals and transport, a move that Ministers hope will counteract a drubbing at the polls.

It will also help prop up Mr Blair, the arch-rival Mr Brown hopes to succeed as Labour leader.

But there is Westminster speculation that Mr Brown is eager for Mr Blair to continue as Prime Minister at least until next year's General Election.

Allies fear that Mr Brown's leadership would be damaged at birth if he took over this summer with the Iraq crisis still raging.

The fightback comes amid rumours that disgruntled MPs are planning a coup against Mr Blair.

One Left-wing MP said: 'After 10 June we will collect names for a potential motion of no-confidence.'