Labour's civil war intensifies as Balls lashes out at critics

One of Gordon Brown's closest allies has launched a ferocious attack on the Prime Minister's critics, as a growing whispering campaign suggested Mr Brown may not survive to lead Labour into the next general election.

Ed Balls, the Children and Schools Secretary, lashed out at Cherie Blair, the wife of the former prime minister; John Prescott, the former deputy prime minister; and Lord Levy, the former party fundraiser, after extracts from their memoirs led to fresh concerns being expressed over Mr Brown's personality.

Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, also weighed in, accusing critics of attempting a "character assassination" of Mr Brown.

Frayed nerves in the Brown camp finally snapped in the wake of the publication of the extracts and an interview in which Frank Field, the former welfare minister who led the rebellion over the 10p tax reform, predicted Mr Brown could be forced out of office by the end of the year.

Mr Balls questioned Mr Field's motives. "I think people took his views at face value. They thought his intentions were honourable and the Government has engaged with backbenchers on the 10p issue," said Mr Balls.

"People could look at what he said and believed his intentions were honourable. I think it is very unlikely, on the basis I have seen, that Frank Field will support any proposals the Government brings forward on 10p tax."

Asked whether Mr Field was on a "one-man mission to take down Mr Brown", he replied: "I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions from what was said this morning." Mr Balls added: "We have all known Frank for many years, and I think he used to work on his own when he was in opposition. He used to work on his own on the back benches. I think he used to work on his own when he was a minister as well."

The Prime Minister's aides said they were "totally baffled" by a suggestion by Mrs Blair in her memoirs that Mr Brown may have been responsible for leaking news that she was pregnant with her fourth child, Leo, in 1999.

Mr Balls said: "Anybody who knows Gordon Brown knows that is total nonsense. I think it's perfectly right and legitimate within your own party to have debates about policy direction. [But] whether it's on the Today programme or in memoirs, when it becomes about personal attacks or settling old scores or things that directly damage the Government ... that is not what you should be about in a political party. You should be taking the argument to the country and to the opposition."

The angry words from the Brown camp failed to dispel an increasingly restive atmosphere at Westminster yesterday.

Mr Field may be seen as a maverick and a loner, and the only Labour MP to go public over Mr Brown's future, but privately in Westminster questions were being asked about how long the Prime Minister can go on with the current level of attacks on his personality. Lord Levy last night also returned to the fray, saying "he doesn't seem to be showing the leadership of a prime minister".

Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, has cancelled meetings today, fuelling expectations at Westminster that he could rush out a package of compensation for the 5.3 million people on low incomes who saw their taxes rise because of the abolition of the 10p tax band. A compensation package could defuse some anger among voters in the forthcoming Crewe and Nantwich by-election, where Labour are tipped to lose the seat with a 7,000 majority.

Mr Brown is planning to launch a fightback with a draft Queen's Speech tomorrow. But Labour MPs are privately questioning Mr Brown's judgement. "Brown is proving a disaster," said one MP. "Ideally, he should go. But I don't think it's in his nature."

Labour MPs last night demanded a "period of silence" from colleagues. A private meeting of backbenchers heard calls to end what one source called the "indulgence" of MPs attacking the Government in public.

Cherie's story

Tensions between Cherie Blair and Alastair Campbell are revealed in her autobiography, Speaking For Myself, serialised in The Times today. On the day of Tony Blair's first speech to the Labour conference as party leader in 1994, topless photos emerged of Mrs Blair's "lifestyle guru" Carole Caplin. Mr Campbell was "literally spitting", according to the former prime minister's wife. When it emerged in 2002 that Mrs Blair had contacted Ms Caplin's former partner, Peter Foster, the Australian conman, contrary to Number 10 denials, Mrs Blair accused Mr Campbell of seeking to humiliate her. "I don't need to," retorted Mr Campbell, "you do it all on your own". When Mrs Blair's hairdresser told him to stop talking to her like that, Mr Campbell is said to have replied: "Remember you are just a fucking hairdresser".

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