Prime Ministerial Power: PMs behaving badly?

Gordon Brown’s temper was so bad that he received a warning over his volcanic eruptions of temper from cabinet secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell, a new book by Andrew Rawnsley claims. Brown has said accusations over his behaviour are ‘lies’, and Lord Mandelson has said the Oberver was just ‘flamming up’ its front page for its relaunch, and that Brown was merely ‘impatient’ and ‘very demanding of people’.

The Observer’s leader’: Civil service chief warned Gordon Brown over abusive treatment of staff’

states:
“Gordon Brown’s abusive behaviour and volcanic eruptions of foul temper left Downing Street staff so frightened that he received an unprecedented reprimand from the head of the civil service, an explosive new book by the Observer’s Andrew Rawnsley reveals today’

Click here for the full article.

Also in the Observer Rawnsley

himself comments further : “Voters should know the full truth about the character of Gordon Brown - The prime minister’s conduct in office has long been the subject of gossip. The real story needed to be told”. He writes
“Character was an unavoidable subject of inquiry for a book which charts Labour’s second and third terms in office. It clearly matters how a leader works – or cannot work – with his colleagues; whether he responds to crises and setbacks calmly or in a hysterical fashion; and how he treats his staff.”

Click here for the full article.

Nick Robinson comments on the BBC Website: Click here.

In the Telegraph Lord Mandelson defends Brown against bullying claims: Click here.

So to add to theories of Prime Ministerial power – ‘the elastic PM’; ‘rotating elites’ and the ‘hubris syndrome’ – maybe there is a need for another, the ‘toy throwing PM’.