Gordon Brown attacked by anti-bullying chief

Published: 7:06PM GMT twenty-one February 2010

Christine Pratt pronounced she had "seen red" after ministers rallied turn to repudiate claims in a new book that the Prime Minister had been warned over his diagnosis of staff.

Lord Mandelson pronounced the Prime Minister was emotional, perfectionist and desirous but not a brag after a new book minute a fibre of purported outbursts.

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But Mrs Pratt, who founded the National Bullying Helpline after being a workplace plant herself, indicted them of unwell staff by "going in to denial".

She said: "I have privately taken a call from staff in the Prime Minister"s office, staff who hold they are operative in a bullying enlightenment and that it has caused them a little stress.

"We would have hoped Gordon Brown would lead by example. If an employer receives complaints they should investigate," she said.

"I am not observant Gordon Brown is a bully, I am not a judge. But I am confounded at the undisguised rejection that is going on but due routine being followed."

Mrs Pratt claimed there had been "three or four" contacts with the helpline from Downing Street staff in new years nonetheless others were perceived prior to Mr Brown took charge.

Lord Mandelson pronounced that while the Prime Minister is "emotional" and "demanding", he does not abuse staff and gets indignant "chiefly with himself".

Extracts printed in the Observer from the comparison domestic writer Andrew Rawnsley"s book minute a array of purported outbursts that left staff fearing violence.

It referred to that Sir Gus O"Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, was so endangered at reports he perceived that he investigated prior to delivering a ""pep talk"" to the PM and a notice to ease down.

A Cabinet Office orator pronounced it was ""categorically not the case"" that Sir Gus had asked for an review and Number 10 pronounced the ""malicious allegations are all but foundation"".

But Mr Rawnsley pronounced he was ""100 per cent sure"", formed on first-hand evidence, that Sir Gus had looked in to the Prime Minister"s poise and released him with a ""verbal warning"".

Mr Brown publicly insisted that he had never strike any one in his hold up nonetheless the extracts contained no claims stringer than one that the PM ""roughly shoved aside"" an aide.

Lord Mandelson told BBC1"s Andrew Marr Show: ""I don"t think he so most bullies people as he is really perfectionist of people.

Mr Brown was ""a man who is utterly emotional, is utterly ardent in what be believes and what he is you do ... who gets indignant but customarily with himself, who doesn"t brag people"", he went on.

""He is perfectionist of himself, he is perfectionist of people around him, he knows what he wants to do, he does not similar to receiving no for an answer from anyone, he will go on and on until he has got a process and an thought in the most appropriate probable form that he can afterwards hurl out.

""There is a grade of impatience about the man but what would you like, a little sort of timorous violet at the helm of the Government when we are going by such inclement waters.""

He pronounced an comment in the book of him notice Mr Brown he could finish up being the misfortune PM in story was ""completely untrue"".

According to Mr Rawnsley"s book, the Cabinet Secretary looked in to Mr Brown"s poise after conference about the PM pulling a receptionist from her chair to take over the keyboard.

""This is no approach to get things done,"" the book annals the polite menial revelation him.

Sir Gus felt the need ""to ease down fearful avocation clerks, badly-treated phone operators and alternative painful staff"" and discuss it them ""don"t take it personally"", Mr Rawnsley wrote.

A Downing Street orator said: "At no time has the National Bullying Helpline contacted Number 10 about these allegations.

"We have rigorous, well determined procedures in place to concede any part of of staff to residence any concerns over inapt diagnosis or behaviour.

"The Civil Service will go on to have a no toleration process on bullying."