Brown admits striking secret deal with Blair for premiership

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has admitted for the first time that his predecessor Tony Blair had struck a secret deal with him to take over as premier.

London, Feb. 7 : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has admitted for the first time that his predecessor Tony Blair had struck a secret deal with him to take over as premier.

Before Brown's interview with ITV1, neither has ever admitted before that the secret deal actually existed.

"It is really explosive stuff - neither Brown nor Blair has ever gone on the record about their famous deal which dogged them for years. But Brown is absolutely clear to Piers that a deal was done. Brown was expecting Blair to hand over to him far earlier than he did," News of the World quoted an ITV1 insider, as saying.

It was always thought that Blair and Brown had made the deal at Granita restaurant in Islington, North London, in May 1994. In the deal, Brown did not oppose Blair for the leadership in exchange for Blair handing over to him during the party's second term of government.

"Their infighting dominated the final years of Blair's premiership. But Brown makes it clear to Piers that he had good reason to be bitter. He talks candidly about their fights. He makes it clear there were bitter, bitter rows. It's explosive stuff," the insider said.

Brown also wept on TV for the first time as he recalled the death of his baby daughter Jennifer. Born two months premature, the ten-day-old suffered a brain haemorrhage at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in 2002.

Wife Sarah is also seen weeping in the audience as the PM talks of their loss. The insider added: "Brown really wells up. You see a whole new side to the PM. You can see the emotion coming out."

Brown, coached by Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell before the interview, also revealed he was behind Sarkozy's love-match.

The unlikely cupid urged Carla, 42, to agree to a date with the French leader during a sneaky phonecall at a European conference.

ANI