Ashdown offered cabinet job

Former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown speaks during a news conference in Sarajevo, March 29, 2005. Prime Minister in-waiting Gordon Brown offered a ministerial position to Ashdown, despite being turned down by the party's leader Menzies Campbell in secret talks earlier this week.

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown offered a cabinet post to the former Liberal Democrat leader, Paddy Ashdown, in a move aimed at broadening his government's appeal that may backfire.

Chancellor Brown takes over from Tony Blair next week and has said he wants to regain voters' confidence and lead an inclusive, listening government "of all the talents".

His offer of the job of Northern Ireland Secretary to Ashdown came after the current leader, Menzies Campbell, turned down Brown's offer of possible inter-party cooperation at secret talks this week.

Ashdown, who has served as High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, told the BBC: "It is true that Mr Brown suggested ... that I might take a position in the cabinet.

"I told him that I could not conceivably consider such a position unless my leader told me that he thought it was a good idea and even if he did, I didn't."

The Liberal Democrats are fiercely critical of Labour's stance on nuclear power and civil liberties and are strongly opposed to Britain's involvement in the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Political sources and analysts said Brown's overtures might have been a serious attempt to break out of tribal politics, but they could hurt him if voters regarded them as a ruse to sow disarray among the opposition.

"There's no question Brown wants to be seen to be different from Blair, to make an impact. Voters don't like the fighting in politics, they like unifying figures," said David Denver, professor of politics in Lancaster University.

"But the attentive public is absolutely fed up with spin and they might see mixed motives here." Blair's popularity was decimated by his support for the U.S.-led Iraq war and further hit by a dislike of his attempts at media management.

GREATER COOPERATION

A spokesman for Campbell confirmed Brown and the Liberal Democrat leader met on Monday and Brown, who is expected to announce his first cabinet next Thursday, ran through a "range of proposals" about greater cooperation in government.

"We made it absolutely clear that there was no way we could do this in cabinet positions. (Brown) then approached Lord Ashdown separately," the spokesman said.

Some analysts said the move was an acknowledgment Labour might need support from the Liberal Democrats after the next election, expected in 2009.

Brown has enjoyed a small bounce in opinion polls but a reinvigorated Conservative Party is consistently ahead.

Talk of co-operation between Labour and the Liberal Democrats emerged when Blair won his first election in 1997.

Campbell is still keen to work with Brown on issues such as climate change and constitutional reform, his spokesman said.

Brown has said he wants a review of the parliamentary processes which allow the government to declare war, and he also wants to make the government more accountable to parliament.