"Gordon Brown's arrival at the Treasury in 1997 was greeted by a stampede - officials of every rank spontaneously rushed to the door to cheer the new incumbent, excited about the change. As Master of the New Era, Brown created a matrix of relationships across every Whitehall department, and extended his influence to every aspect of government activity. Over eight years at the heart of government, he has retained his gloomy, brooding dominance, stomping about the Treasury while shaping the nation's finances, planning his party's election strategy and plotting - perhaps - his eventual acquisition of the highest political job of all. Brown is now more than ever a contender for the 'not ignoble' role of leader, but despite extensive newspaper coverage of his activities, his personal agenda has rarely been investigated and described.^ And in the taut balance of power between Treasury and Westminster Village, the moments of defiance seen in broadcasts and speeches have, thus far, failed to materialise into a comprehensive open challenge." "Loaded with insider information and first-hand interviews, Tom Bower delves deep into a ministerial career shaped by intrigue and ruthlessness. Brown's supremacy in a finely tuned Treasury machine has enabled him to claim credit for Britain's continuing financial health, but chinks in the armour cannot be held at bay forever. Successive costly crises make it increasingly apparent that no coherent policy unifies Brown's schemes, and the consequences threaten to be devastating.^ Describing the ambitions, manoeuvres and plots of individuals close to Brown, Tom Bower exposes the path towards potential meltdown of a nation." "This is the story of the unfolding demise of an inverted ideologue, campaigning against prejudice and privilege, who failed to understand the consequences of his ideals and unwittingly sabotaged his dream. The human drama of Brown's tormented Chancellorship is the definitive story of New Labour's rule over Britain."--BOOK JACKET.