Oxford tutor Dr Stewart Wood has this week joined the group of politicians and advisors involved in the Gordon Brown bullying allegations.
Wood, who works as Brown’s chief foreign policy advisor, explained an altercation with Gordon Brown to journalist Suzie Mackenzie. “[Brown] was in a really bad mood,” he said. “He walked up the stairs. And I leant forward and he went, “Outta my way!” And did that [Dr Wood makes a sweeping gesture with his arm] “Get outta my way!” Then he walked off…He
‘s never punched me. He did push me aside.”
Suzie Mackenzie, a journalist in regular correspondence with Wood, released details of a recorded conversation the two had concerning the Prime Minister. This was despite having an understanding with Wood that he would be made aware of what information she was releasing.
Wood, also a Politics tutor at Magdalen College, had been working closely with Mackenzie over the past few years as she conducted extensive research for her character study on Gordon Brown.
Describing their interviews, the journalist said, “We meet regularly, always with a tape on, and I should say here that our understanding has always been that I would not reveal what he has said without discussing things with him first.”
Mackenzie disclosed the discussion of Gordon Brown’s outbursts to The Mail on Sunday, which published an article detailing the conversation last weekend.
The allegations against the Prime Minister of abusive behaviour towards his staff first emerged in political journalist Andrew Rawnsley’s book The End of the Party. Published on the 1st of March, it charts the decline of New Labour and the relationships between the key party figures.
Mackenzie raised the subject of Brown’s allegedly abusive behaviour with Wood over a lunch-time interview at popular Westminster restaurant The Cinnamon Club on 14th January.
The journalist felt driven to publish this information after hearing Brown categorically state that he had “never, never hit anybody” or shoved them, during an interview on 28th February on Channel 4 News.
She was so incensed by his denial that she published Wood’s statements to contradict what she felt was a falsehood from the Prime Minister.
Mackenzie said, “I believe that what is being revealed here is a matter of public interest, that the time has come for transparency and honesty – most particularly in the run-up to an election.”
The journalist acknowledged the moral ambiguity of releasing details of a conversation which was agreed as off the record. “Some people will find what I have done unconscionable. I accept this,” she said.
Dr Wood responded to the media frenzy with the following statement, “Allegations that Gordon struck or punched me are totally wrong. As I recall, he was in a hurry that day, and barged past me . . . but he didn’t shove me. It did annoy me at the time, but it was an isolated incident”.
The Mail on Sunday, which published Wood’s comments, has not responded to requests for a statement.
