Gordon Brown plans to fly to Iraq to review British policy and troop numbers after using the launch of his leadership campaign yesterday to try to make a decisive break with the Blair era.

The Chancellor said he would govern Britain in a different way – “I want to lead a government humble enough to know its place” – as he lambasted the excessive use of spin and the cult of celebrity, and pledged to restore trust in Labour and politics.

But he also accepted for the first time that mistakes had been made in Iraq, saying that much more must be done to promote economic development and political reconciliation.

His decision to make an early visit to see army chiefs on the ground and the Iraqi Government will raise speculation that Mr Brown would like to speed up the timetable for British withdrawal. British forces are due to hand over control of Basra to Iraqi forces by the end of the year, when troop levels will be reduced from about 7,000 to 2,000.

British forces are due to pull out of Saddam’s former palace in the centre of the city this summer, and eventually all British forces and the consulate will be relocated to the airport.

One of the Chancellor’s allies said last night: “His current assessment is that the the timetable is right. But such matters must be kept under review and that will be among the purposes of his visit, although his big concern is to make the people of Iraq feel they have a stake in their country through economic development.”

A change of policy on Iraq would be considered a dramatic shift from Mr Blair’s stance, but diplomatic sources said that the strong US criticism of President Bush for sending 25,000 more troops to Baghdad gives Mr Brown an opportunity to accelerate the withdrawal process.

Mr Brown could go to Iraq within weeks if the Left fails to raise enough votes from MPs to challenge him for the Labour party leadership. But, if there is a Continued on page 2, col 4 contest he would not be able to use taxpayers’ money for a government trip that might be seen to boost his standing.

Mr Brown used his launch speech in London to distance himself from elements of Mr Blair’s legacy: “As a politician I have never sought the public eye for its own sake. I have never believed presentation should be a substitute for policy. I do not believe politics is about celebrity.”

But, while trying to break with the Blairite style, Mr Brown made plain that there would be no retreat from new Labour policies on reform of the public services, including private sector provision within the NHS, and that he would never govern for a “sectional” interest. He pledged to govern “in a different way”, restoring power to Parliament and rebuilding public trust in democracy.

“One of may first acts as Prime Minister would be to restore power to Parliament in order to build the trust of the British people in our democracy,” he said.

He began his campaign boosted by formal endorsement from Mr Blair, who said he had what it takes to lead Labour and Britain with distinction, and more surprisingly support from the ultra-Blairite Alan Milburn and Stephen Byers.

Mr Milburn, once mooted as a challenger for the top job, said: “It is important that the whole of the party now unites around Gordon.” But George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, dismissed Mr Brown’s promise of change: “After ten years of waiting, all Gordon Brown has given us is reheated slogans and a promise to listen when all the evidence shows he’s incapable of acknowledging his mistakes.”

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