Russian threat gives a fresh lifeline for Brown

London, Aug.29 : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's job for the time being is safe, thanks to the threat of a new Cold War with Russia.

According to The Sun, fears of a coup to unseat Brown appear to be fizzling out because of this new major crisis.

The tabloid says that with Foreign Secretary David Miliband, Brown's only rival for the post of Prime Minister, being preoccupied with Russia's aggression against Georgia, Cabinet ministers are now shrinking away from forcing Brown out.

Labour MPs who were so keen to give Brown the boot just a few weeks ago, have also gone quiet.

Brown, it appears, may stay on as Prime Minister until the May 2010 election.

Brown will now focus on a mini-Budget, in a fortnight, aimed at easing the cost of winter fuel payments. He has already begun work on a barnstorming speech to Labour's annual rally in Manchester at the end of September.

A reshuffle of his top team will come in October as the PM tries to keep some momentum going.

ANI