Peter Mandelson’s prospects of staying on for another five years as a European Commissioner appeared to have been dashed yesterday as Gordon Brown insisted that he had already ruled himself out of being considered for a second term.

Just days after claims that Mr Brown was ready to end their long-running feud and offer to keep Mr Mandelson in Brussels, where he has a senior role as trade commissioner, the tempestuous relationship between the pair took another twist.

He implied that Mr Mandelson had sealed his own fate in a provocative interview last year when he said that Mr Brown was unable to fire him and added that he would not seek re-nomination.

On arrival at a European summit in Brussels, Mr Brown used the past tense to praise his record, saying: “Peter Mandelson said he doesn’t want to become the next commissioner but he wants to do only one term.” He added: “I think it is important to say that Peter Mandelson has done a great job as commissioner and, of course, it is his wish to do something else.” The Prime Minister’s intervention suggested that he was taking revenge on Mr Mandelson for allowing details of private discussions between them about his future to appear in newspapers.

There had been recent signs of a rapprochement between the two and they chatted for well over hour about British politics when Mr Brown visited to Brussels last month to meet Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president. The following day Mr Brown telephoned Mr Mandelson for another long talk about Labour’s political strategy.

A Brussels source told The Times that the Prime Minister asked at that meeting if Mr Mandelson was interested in a second term, and if not, why not. Mr Mandelson explained that he ruled himself out last year only because he had heard reports that Mr Brown would definitely not consider him. Mr Mandelson’s spokesman last week said that “he had not reached a definitive view” on whether he would seek a second term, suggesting that Mr Brown had offered him a second chance at the job.

But Mr Brown’s reaction has all but made his mind up for him. A senior Government source said at first that the Prime Minister had not discussed the issue of a second term with Mr Mandelson although later No 10 officials did not repeat this and, instead, pointedly said they would not comment on private conversations.

Mr Brown’s spokesman said: “You would not expect me to comment on private conversations and it is still very early days in terms of deciding who the next commissioner should be.

But, in any case, as I am sure you know, Mr Mandelson has already said publicly that he does not want to serve a second term.” Mr Mandelson’s spokesman yesterday said: “Peter is happy with the discussion he had with Gordon Brown on this subject. He explained the context of his original remarks. They know each other’s minds. Peter will not make any further comment at this stage as the subject will not arise until next year.”

In his now fateful interview in March last year, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “I don’t know whether this is going to come as a disappointment to him, but he can’t actually fire me.” He added: “But I will not be seeking a nomination for a further term.” Mr Brown and Mr Mandelson were once close friends and inseparable political allies but fell out when Mr Mandelson backed Tony Blair for Labour leader in 1994.

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