Cherie Blair 'wanted Brown to be sacked for bad behaviour'

Family friends of the Prime Minister have claimed that Cherie Blair tried to persuade her husband to sack Gordon Brown, it was reported last night.

In a documentary to be aired by Channel 4 on today, Barry Cox, who has known the couple for more than 30 years, spoke of the disputes that occurred between the men after the Labour won the 2001 election.

Mr Cox discussed how Mr Brown was "demanding" that Tony Blair resign after the election and had become "difficult". He said: "Ever since then, it has been continuous. Cherie reacted personally to what she regarded as Gordon's very bad behaviour, she took deep mortal offence."

In the interview, Mr Cox, who is understood to have been on holiday with the Blairs, tells the journalist Andrew Rawnsley that the Prime Minister's relationship with the Chancellor began to deteriorate in 1994. But he said despite the problems, Mr Blair would defend as "legitimate" Mr Brown's ambition to succeed him. He adds: "Within the last year he did begin to believe the worst of Gordon Brown."

The documentary also features interviews with Downing Street staff who are said to talk of the "dysfunctional" relationship with the Treasury. Former cabinet members, including the former home secretary Charles Clarke and the former international development secretary Clare Short, also speak of the relationship.

A Downing Street spokesman declined to comment last night.