But Mr Brown stressed his credentials as a leader who wanted to reform politics, adding: "We have to show people we are in the business of the new politics and we have a plan for that as well as the economy. “I don't think people have yet focused on that. We're serious about change. That is my mission.

“How would you vote on May 6 if you thought the Liberal Democrats had a significant chance of winning the election”. The responses: Lib Dem 49%, Conservative 25%, Labour 19%. On the – admittedly unrealistic – assumption of uniform national swing, there would be 548 Lib Dem MPs, 41 Labour MPs and just 25 Tories.

But the poll also reveals deep disenchantment with the overall political process. Only 4 per cent of voters think that the parties are being totally honest with voters over their tax plans and only 6 per cent think they are being honest about cutting the deficit. Most worryingly for David Cameron as he tries to regain the lead enjoyed by the Conservatives two years ago, more voters are now hoping for a hung Parliament than either a Tory or Labour victory. A senior Tory told The Times: “This is a phoney war right now, but that’s not because of any lack of fighting. It’s because they think we’re all fakes.”

Moving on to Iraq, did he ever feel like resigning over it? "No... It wasn't weapons of mass destruction or the issue about regime change that was important to me. To me, the important thing was, if you are creating a global community - which is what we are trying to do after the Cold War - you cannot have countries that persistently defy the international community by refusing to abide by their obligations."

"I understand the anger over Iraq, I do - because people feel that they were given information that turned out not to be correct.

When I went out and disgraced myself in public – as I did many times – I could silence the diary columns by calling a fellow editor. There are stories I could tell that you wouldn't believe. I was untouchable. I was cocooned and protected, a "made man", an unelected member of a tiny elite that runs the country and never has to pay a price.

When I went out and disgraced myself in public – as I did many times – I could silence the diary columns by calling a fellow editor. There are stories I could tell that you wouldn't believe. I was untouchable. I was cocooned and protected, a "made man", an unelected member of a tiny elite that runs the country and never has to pay a price.

I believe the business of government should be more business-like – that the British people are the boss and like any employer they deserve to know about the performance of their team. And so I am proposing the following.Firstly, Sir Tim Berners Lee, the man most associated with the invention of the internet, is the government’s advisor on data openness and transparency all across the internet. In the months to come he will be ensuring that there is the maximum possible information available to the public at all times. This rapid extension of transparency will show in real time how government are delivering against our pledges.Secondly, I will set out a clear and public annual contract for each new Cabinet Minister, detailing what I expect them and their department to deliver to the British people, and that their continued appointment is dependent on their delivery just as it would be in a business or any other organisation. Thirdly, I will require the Cabinet Secretary to performance manage the Permanent Secretary of each department against their delivery of pledges and other priorities as set out in the letter of appointment.

All the power has been centred on finance and the financial model and, funnily enough, we have just hocked our entire economy to save that broken system. From the coasteering teams in Wales to the boxing clubs of the potteries I sense a deep frustration with this absence of voice and power that traditional politics just does not capture.