Brown boasted that he could beat Blair to EU presidency job

London, July 15 (ANI): Former British prime minister Gordon Brown has boasted he could beat his predecessor Tony Blair for the job of European President.

Brown is reported to have sneered at the prospect of Blair making the grade, saying he would never have a chance at bagging the cushy role.

According to The Sun, Brown claimed EU leaders had urged him to run for the post, which was up for grabs last year.

According to former State Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, "He (Brown) was careful to avoid saying anything in public that might suggest he wasn't supportive, and he kept assuring me that he was doing his best to get him appointed. Yet, from the start, he talked down Tony's chances in private, saying it was a lost cause."

The coveted job eventually went to the little-known Belgian Herman Van Rompuy. (ANI)