“I personally don’t think we should have gone to war,” said Keith Young, a national service veteran listening to his speech in Shipley, West Yorkshire. “But I still think Mr Blair is the man to lead Britain.”

“I did think it was wrong of the government to go to war,” said Violet Dixon, 66, who listened to him in Derby.

“Iraq was a very big issue. Three weeks ago, despite a lifetime of supporting Labour, I vowed I would never vote for them again.

“But the party has won me round and I will be voting Labour on May 5. I have met Michael Howard, I have talked to him and I like him but I still prefer Tony.”

Sarah Mulholland, a 20-year-old studying politics at Leeds University, said: “I think Britain is ready to move on over this issue.”

It seemed to sum up a widely held view. Despite his public mauling on television, despite all the doubts over Iraq, despite all the other concerns over Labour’s policies, many voters could still see no better alternative to Blair.

IT was not quite that simple, however. The man who was the real victor of the most explosive week of the election was not Blair, and certainly not Howard, the Tory leader. It was Gordon Brown, the chancellor, who came to the rescue in Blair’s moment of need and was at his shoulder as he faced the voters.

Brown gave his clearest backing to Blair and his bluntest support for the war in Iraq, repeatedly saying that he trusted the prime minister — the man whom he is alleged to have said he could never trust again.

Now it is payback time. Blair is to allow Brown a proper say in a cabinet reshuffle after excluding him for five years. They are already planning how to reshape the cabinet after the election.

Previous reshuffles, in which Brown’s allies have been sacked or moved sideways, have led to reports of tantrums in the chancellor’s office. But Brown now has renewed power to ensure that his allies such as Jack Straw, Alistair Darling, Yvette Cooper and Douglas Alexander are protected.

For Brown, whom Blair described last week as having the makings of “an excellent prime minister”, it is an opportunity to prepare the ground for when he takes over.

They will meet this week to formalise their discussions. A senior figure close to both men said: “The meeting is important to make sure that the new peace is not threatened by the reshuffle. Gordon is going to be allowed to have a say and Tony will respect that his allies must be looked after, not just to avoid a snub but so that they can advance in time for when Gordon becomes leader.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• No room for Baldrick in overstretched army
• Freecycle booms as middle class feels squeeze
• Marksman gets £5,000 over ‘serial killer’ quip