British Chancellor Gordon Brown delivered a glowing tribute to Prime Minister Tony Blair at the Labour Party conference in Manchester on 25 September 2006, positioning himself as Blair's natural successor while working to counter talk of a feud between the two men.
The event was briefly overshadowed by reports that Blair's wife, Cherie, was overheard calling it a 'lie' when Brown described working with Blair as a privilege. Blair's office flatly denied the claim, demanding that news agency Bloomberg retract the story.
In his address, Brown called Blair the most accomplished leader and prime minister in Labour's history, praising his domestic record, the Northern Ireland peace process, and his stance on global extremism and aid to poorer nations.
Tensions between the two men have simmered for years, with Brown long believed to be frustrated over Blair's reluctance to step aside. Earlier in September, pressure from Brown's allies within the parliamentary party compelled Blair to announce he would leave office within 12 months.
Brown acknowledged that disagreements between them over more than two decades were understandable, expressing regret when personal friction had diverted attention from governing, and pledging to build on Blair's legacy of democracy and social justice.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.