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The pensions scandal engulfing Gordon Brown last night fuelled speculation that he will face a serious challenge to succeed Tony Blair as Prime Minister. He also faces the prospect of an embarrassing Commons debate in which the Tories hope to have him made personally accountable.

John Hutton, the Work and Pensions Secretary, renewed his call for a contest for the Labour leadership as former ministers and senior MPs admitted that the furore had increased the chances of a serious challenger stepping forward. They said that it sowed serious doubts about Mr Brown’s judgment and economic competence.

After a two-year freedom of information battle with the Treasury, The Times obtained documents on Friday which showed that Mr Brown had pushed through tax changes in his first Budget in 1997 despite warnings from officials that it would cost occupational and private pension funds up to £75 billion and make millions of pensioners worse off.

Pensions campaigners claim it shows that he deliberately went about destroying what was at that time one of the best pension systems in the world. April 2007


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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1599964.ece