Straw denies plot to oust premier

Jack Straw denied plotting to remove Gordon Brown yesterday after claims in a book that he told colleagues the Prime Minister "had to go".

The Justice Secretary rejected an account by Observer political commentator Andrew Rawnsley that he led efforts to oust the PM in 2008.

In the book, serialised by the newspaper yesterday, Mr Straw is said to have used meetings with critics of Mr Brown such as Charles Clarke, Frank Field and Stephen Byers, to suggest he was prepared to take action.

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At one lunch with Mr Clarke, according to Mr Rawnsley's book The End of the Party, he said Mr Brown "had to go" and declared that "something will be done".

Publicly Mr Straw backed the PM – whose leadership campaign he ran.

In a statement, Mr Straw denied any plotting. "It is surprising given the seriousness of this allegation that neither Andrew Rawnsley nor the Observer chose to put it to me at any stage," he said.