Brown Denies Darling Tirade

Opposition leader David Cameron has taunted the Prime Minister over claims he had come to blows with his Chancellor.

It was alleged Mr Brown order advisers to brief against Alastair Darling in the wake of his 2008 prediction that the UK was headed for an historic recession.

Mr Darling said "the forces of hell" were unleashed against him by Downing Street aides.

During today's Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron claimed former top adviser Damian McBride had in fact been "spreading poison" about the Chancellor to journalists.

Earlier Mr Brown told GMTV: "I would never instruct anybody to do anything other than support my Chancellor."

He added: "Alistair has been a friend of mine for 20 years, we have worked together, our families know each other. We have worked together all this time and we have huge mutual respect for each other."

Mr McBride, who resigned over an alleged email smear campaign last year, denied any attack on Mr Darling.

Responding to Mr Cameron's criticism in the Commons, the Prime Minister said his Chancellor had been "right on every issue".

He continued: "I would rather be defending my Chancellor than be in your position of having to defend your shadow chancellor."

Commenting on Messrs Brown and Darling's closeness on the front bench this afternoon, the Tory leader joked: "Any closer and they will start kissing!"

(PR/BMcC)