Old hatchets buried as Labour puts 'the band back together'

Alastair Campbell is expected to play a key role in Labour's campaign for both European and county council elections in June which may decide whether Gordon Brown leads the party into the general election.

Tony Blair's former director of communications will link up with Peter Mandelson, the new Business Secretary, and Douglas Alexander, Labour's campaign co-ordinator – recreating a team that worked with Gordon Brown and Tony Blair at the 2001 election.

Mr Campbell will almost certainly play a central role in Labour's campaign for the general election, expected in the spring of 2010. But he has rebuffed attempts by Mr Brown to persuade him to return to a full-time post in Downing Street. The Prime Minister is expected to recruit someone else as his director of communications.

Mr Campbell says he is in no hurry to return to No 10 and does not want to "give up having a life". However, he says he is happy to help Labour when it needs him. This summer, he played an important role in the decision by prominent Blairites to rally behind Mr Brown. He launched a campaign for Labour to win a fourth term under Mr Brown to counteract calls by backbenchers for the PM to face a leadership contest.

Mr Alexander, the International Development Secretary, will be in charge of Labour's campaigns for both elections. Mr Mandelson is expected to work closely with Mr Brown in setting the strategy, while Mr Campbell may be based at Labour Party HQ. The other key figures would be Liam Byrne, who was promoted to Cabinet Office Minister in the weekend reshuffle, and Tom Watson, a Brown ally and junior minister under Mr Byrne.

A Labour source said yesterday: "We are expecting Alastair to return for next June's elections and to work on the general election. With Peter Mandelson back on board, we are putting the band back together."

Mr Campbell left No 10 in 2004 when he "became the story" after clashing with the BBC over its allegation he "sexed up" a government dossier on Iraq's weapons. David Kelly, the weapons expert, killed himself after being unmasked as the source of the BBC story.

Although Mr Brown has now bolstered his position, Cabinet ministers might still put him under pressure to quit if Labour does poorly in the "double election" to the European Parliament and local councils next June. Both will provide a headache for Mr Brown. Labour insiders recalled that Mr Alexander managed to keep on good terms with both Mr Brown and Mr Mandelson even when the two men were barely on speaking terms as they fought to win Mr Blair a second term in 2001. Mr Alexander served as deputy to both Mr Brown, who chaired Labour's campaign strategy committee, and Mr Mandelson, who chaired a campaign planning committee. "Douglas ... is trusted by Gordon and Peter," a party source said.

The PM is searching for a director of communications to keep the party "on message" following the departure in his reshuffle of Stephen Carter, his strategy chief, who has become Minister for Communications. Mr Brown's party political spin doctor Damian McBride is no longer briefing the press and is now working on strategy with Mr Byrne at the Cabinet Office.

4 June 2009: Election battleground

*Elections to the 27 county councils and seven unitary authorities in England are expected on 4 June – the same day as the European Parliament elections. At the last Euro elections in 2004, Labour won 22.6 per cent of the vote and only 19 of the 78 seats up for grabs. To do worse might spell danger for Gordon Brown. The Tories may fare better than last time, when they won 26.7 per cent of the vote and 27 seats, by regaining ground from the UK Independence Party. The number of county seats will fall from 78 to 72, so Labour must win a bigger share of the vote to retain as many seats. The seats to be contested were last fought on the same day as the 2005 general election, so any rise or fall can be measured against that benchmark.

Will Tony Blair take a role in government by the end of 2008

Interesting? Click here to explore further