Britain's Labour party was today accused of being "locked in open war" as the controversy over the resignation of Mr Peter Mandelson broadened to involve the Prime Minister's official spokesman, Mr Alastair Campbell.
Mr Campbell moved to defend himself against claims he had "knifed" Mr Mandelson in a briefing which was interpreted as questioning the former Northern Ireland Secretary's state of mind.
Mr Mandelson today broke cover to signal his determination to clear his name and revive his political career, though several leading Labour figures have made clear there was no way back into the Cabinet for him.
Mr Mandelson used an article in the Sunday Timesto declare that he did not believe he had lied over his involvement in the application of the billionaire Hinduja brothers for British passports.
He agreed to resign in a moment of weakness, but was now determined to "fight back" and prove that his "small mistake" did not merit the end of his high-flying political career, he said.
Meanwhile, Downing Street accused the press of "grotesque misrepresentation" of comments made by Mr Campbell in a briefing to Sunday newspaper journalists.
The Prime Minister's press secretary told reporters Mr Mandelson had been "curiously detached" over the Hinduja allegations and compared his state of mind when he resigned to that of former Welsh Secretary Ron Davies after his "moment of madness" on Clapham Common.
The remarks were widely interpreted as an attempt to kill off Mr Mandelson's political credibility, by implying he had recently been losing his grip on events.
But Mr Campbell today insisted it was "absurd" to portray his discussion of Mr Mandelson's demeanour during the Hinduja crisis as an attack on his state of mind generally.
PA