Blair criticizes Brown's leadership in scathing memo

Tony Blair, Britain's former prime minister, leaves 10 Downing Street in London, June 27, 2007.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's embattled prime minister, Gordon Brown, suffered another blow on Sunday with the publication of a memo in which Tony Blair heaps scorn on his successor's performance in office.

The memo, which the Mail on Sunday newspaper said was written by Blair to colleagues last year, sees the former prime minister accuse Brown's government of "a lamentable confusion of tactics and strategy" and of failing to learn lessons.

Written in the aftermath of Brown's decision not call an early election that might have consolidated his leadership, the dispatch says poor decision-making has made Conservative leader David Cameron look substantial and a viable choice for office.

"The real problem was not the brilliance of the Tory conference, but the hubris and vacuity of our own. This meant the Tories, by having something to say on policy, appeared substantial and to represent the future," Blair wrote.

"There has been a lamentable confusion of tactics and strategy.

"At present, there is every indication that the lessons will not be learnt."

Blair's office would not confirm or deny that he had written the memo.

"Tony Blair continues to be 100 percent supportive of Gordon Brown and the government," a spokesman said.

Blair sent a watered-down version of the memo to Brown, the paper said. It is not known how that was received.

Since the memo was written, things have only got worse for Brown, whose poll ratings now make him the second most unpopular prime minister in modern British history.

There is widespread talk among Labour members of parliament of a potential challenge to Brown's leadership if he cannot regain the confidence of the party after the summer break.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband wrote an opinion piece in a newspaper last week laying out some of Labour's failings, a move interpreted in the media as preparing the ground for a possible challenge.

Brown succeeded Blair in June last year after spending 10 years as finance minister, waiting to assume the prime ministership. A series of blunders and perceived policy mistakes has seen his popularity fall to just 15 percent.

After Brown took office, he sought to distance himself in several key respects from Blair. Blair saw that as a mistake.

"The choice is and was always between GB (Gordon Brown) running as the change candidate or as continuity NL (New Labour)," he wrote.

"By trying to be change, he played exactly the same game the media wanted but never the game that gives us the only chance of a 4th term (in office)."

(Reporting by Luke Baker; Editing by Giles Elgood)