Gordon Brown his said any anger is usually directed at himself

Labour has gone on the offensive over Gordon Brown’s temperament after an anti-bullying charity said it had been contacted by staff from his office.

The prime minister’s Parliamentary aide called for evidence of the calls from the National Bullying Helpline.

Charity boss Christine Pratt has said she spoke out in anger at government denials of staff mistreatment in No 10.

The Observer had reported that civil service head Sir Gus O’Donnell warned the PM about behaviour towards staff.

Labour MP Anne Snelgrove – who is the prime minister’s Parliamentary private secretary – said the charity “needs to demonstrate that these questions really have come from staff at Number 10″.

“Why is she [Ms Pratt] going public with this rather than taking it up privately if these phone calls were genuine?”

In ‘denial’

The charity’s chief executive told the BBC that its helpline had been called three or four times by Downing Street staff in the last three or four years.

Ms Pratt added: “Over recent months we have had several inquiries from staff within Gordon Brown’s office.

“Some have downloaded information; some have actually called our helpline directly and I have spoken to staff in his office.”

She said she would expect any employer in this situation not to “go into denial, but to look into it, to follow due process”.

Outright denial could “compound the stress of those who believe they are being bullied”, she said.

“We are not suggesting that Gordon Brown is a bully, what we are saying is staff in his office working directly with him have issues, and have concerns, and have contacted our helpline.”

What Labour had hoped would be a one-day story is getting wind in its sails BBC deputy political editor James Landale

Downing Street said it had never been contacted by the charity about the allegations, a No 10 spokesman adding that it had “rigorous, well established procedures” for “staff to address any concerns over inappropriate treatment or behaviour”.

“The civil service will continue to have a no tolerance policy on bullying,” the spokesman said.

Warning claim

Reports of Mr Brown’s alleged mistreatment of staff appeared in extracts from a book by the Observer’s chief political commentator Andrew Rawnsley.

The book includes details of incidents where it is alleged Mr Brown grabbed staff by the lapels, shoved them aside and shouted at them.

Downing Street says the reports are “malicious allegations” that are “without foundation”.

I have not seen any of that behaviour in all the time I have been at No 10 or an MP Labour MP Anne Snelgrove

Responding to the allegations, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: “I don’t think he so much bullies people as he is very demanding of people.”

Other members of the cabinet rallied to the prime minister’s defence, with Home Secretary Alan Johnson saying that in 17 years he had “never” heard Mr Brown raise his voice.

A Cabinet Office statement said: “It is completely untrue to say that the cabinet secretary ever gave the prime minister a verbal warning about his behaviour”.

Mr Rawnsley told the BBC his source for the story was “24 carat”.

‘Non-political’

BBC deputy political editor James Landale said Ms Pratt’s claims had “put paid” to Labour’s hopes that “allegations about Gordon Brown’s temper would fade once the Sunday papers were forgotten”.

“What Labour had hoped would be a one-day story is now getting wind in its sails and disrupting even further the party’s election plans.”

Mrs Snelgrove questioned why the National Bullying Helpline had “popped up out of the blue when all of this is happening around Gordon”.

NICK ROBINSON’S NEWSLOG The woman who told the BBC her National Bullying Helpline was called by three people who worked with the prime minister is now at the centre of a political storm Read Nick’s latest blog in full

She added: “Life is too short to work for someone who is a bully and I would not be working for Gordon if he was a bully.

“I have not seen any of that behaviour in all the time I have been at No 10 or an MP.”

Tory MP Ann Widdecombe is a patron of the charity, whose website also displays a statement of support from Conservative leader David Cameron.

Lord Mandelson’s Department for Business recommends the helpline to businesses.

The charity says it is non-political, and the BBC has found no evidence of any political involvement by Ms Pratt or the helpline.

Ms Widdecombe said it would be “quite a good idea” for Sir Gus to take “an informal look” at workplace conditions at No 10.

But she criticised Ms Pratt’s decision to go public, saying the helpline was supposed to be confidential.

Labour is starting to disintegrate and the Prime Minister is in denial. His shocking agressive past is now catching up with him and his latest attempts to persuade the public have failed. Being a strong leader is one thing. Being an aggressive bully is quite another and no one in high office can be allowed to treat people in such an appalling way.

Its time for Brown and his cabal of misfits to go once and for all. We dont need him and we dont want him.

Jim Ferguson

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