Brown leads meeting on strategy

The Prime Minister chaired a special political session of the Cabinet – with no officials present – following their regular weekly meeting at No 10.

It is understood Mr Brown and his senior Ministers discussed preparations for the election campaign at an hour-long political Cabinet.

On Monday he began to set out their approach to the election at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party at Westminster, promising that the "hard-won economic recovery" would provide a platform for victory.

Mr Brown also sought to address concerns over his leadership style in the wake of last week's failed coup attempt, promising a more collegiate approach after some ministers complained of being frozen out.

But despite the broadly supportive mood of the meeting, it is understood that one senior backbencher – David Winnick – did speak out to say that there was a "problem" with Mr Brown's leadership.

While he acknowledged the Prime Minister would take the party into the General Election and described the coup as counter-productive, he said that despite doing his best, Mr Brown had failed to win over the electorate.

He said Labour had been trailing in the polls for the past 12 to 18 months.