Mr Blair's authority was massive at the time, and he could have used it to radicalise the party's programme.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot

When introducing his party's programme, he called for German soldiers to leave Afghanistan to lower the risk of terrorist attacks in Germany.

ECONOMIST: Germany's election

But John Cruddas, who last year narrowly missed out on Labour's deputy leadership, said in an article for The House magazine that the party's previously radical programme had "stalled" under Mr Brown.

BBC: Minister quits in Brown protest