Brown faces cabinet discontent

Updated on 03 May 2009

"Dismal" and "lamentable" - cabinet ministers on their own government's recent performance. Jane Deith reports.

The cabinet dissatisfaction with Gordon Brown and the government's recent record became public today, with frank admissions of the government's latest shortcomings.

Forget disgruntled ex-ministers like Charles Clarke, the cabinet minister, Hazel Blears, let rip that the prime minister is failing to connect with the voters.

In a newspaper article, communities secretary, Hazel Blears, took a swipe at Gordon Brown's YouTube appearance and described the government's recent blunders as "lamentable".

She backed down but only after speaking to Mr Brown personally. And later insisted she remained loyal to the prime minister.

Justice secretary, Jack Straw, said the Labour party has been damaged since Gordon Brown hosted the G20 summit.

He said: "We've now had a pretty dismal three or four weeks since then, mainly through internal issues."

Although a succession of ministers took to the airwaves to insist Mr Brown remained the best man for the job, none tried to deny it had been anything other than a very difficult week for the government.