Gordon Brown denies taking swipe at Tony Blair

Gordon Brown appeared to issue a thinly veiled swipe at Tony Blair as he hit out at politicians who fail to keep promises to step down from office after two terms.

The former prime minister grinned as he delivered the verdict during his first substantial Parliamentary appearance since quitting as Labour leader in May.

Mr Brown's fury at his predecessor's decision not to step down for him ahead of the 2005 general election has been documented in a number of high-profile Labour memoirs.

Earlier, he appeared to seize an unexpected chance to make clear his own view during a two-hour evidence session to the international development select committee.

It came as Tory MP Pauline Latham challenged him over what action he had taken over African leaders who served more than the two terms they promised.

"People make it clear, as I have, to some of these leaders that if they say something and then are not in a position to deliver it then their authority is affected by that," he said.

"But I think it is very difficult for us to impose a rule on African countries that we do not apply ourselves," a smiling Mr Brown told the committee.

He did not refer directly to Mr Blair - citing instead the example of Michael Bloomberg who had proved an excellent mayor of New York despite serving beyond his self-imposed two-term limit.

A spokeswoman for Mr Brown later denied that he had delivered a swipe at Mr Blair.

She said: "There was no reference or attack on Tony Blair at all."