Gordon Brown clashes with Nick Robinson in Japan

BBC political editor Nick Robinson struck a raw nerve when he asked Gordon Brown at the Japan G8 summit whether he would stand down for the good of his own party. Brown angrily replied that he won't be standing down, saying he is the right man to lead Britain through the troubles during the coming recession and take Labour into the next general election.

Robinson has put into words what many Labour MPs are thinking, but by asking the question has only encouraged Gordon to dig himself in deeper.

There will be concerns that Robinson, a former young Conservative, has done David Cameron a real favour by pinning Brown to his post for, as Richard Ehrman writes in today's cover story for The First Post, some Tories are privately saying that the last thing they want to see is Gordon stepping down. "I'm running the save Gordon campaign," joked one beefy Tory MP.

However, Brown's self-confidence in the face of Robinson's question is likely to melt like the roasted lamb and truffles on the summiteers' dinner menu if the Labour Party lose Glasgow East on July 24.

There is one thing that could make Glasgow East safe for Labour. Next week, Brown is expected to make his long-awaited statement on Iraq. Ian Gibson, never a Brown fan, said: "If he could say he is bringing all our troops back home, that would change everything. He would walk Glasgow East. He would walk on water. The polls would move in our direction and the sun would come out."

The trouble is, Brown is unlikely to announce that the troops are being pulled out completely. He is a cautious man, and is being advised by the chiefs of staff that unless he wants to pull out the British contingent completely, he has to leave around 3,500 soldiers on the Basra airbase for their own self-protection.

Like Blair's, Brown's political career could be inextricably linked to Iraq. Where Blair destroyed his legacy in the dust of Iraq, it could be the making of Brown - if he had the guts to do it.

THE MOLE: PM STANDS FIRM

FIRST POSTED JULY 8, 2008