What I really meant about liking Arctic Monkeys, by Gordon Brown

Chancellor admits he's more of a Coldplay man.

It was always one of the more unlikely passions in politics. But Gordon Brown's famous love of Arctic Monkeys, the Sheffield band who became an overnight phenomenon, is apparently not what it seemed.

Put on the spot by a men's magazine, the Chancellor proved unable to name a single track from their debut album beyond insisting that 'they are very loud'. And he confessed his favoured listening was actually Coldplay - the band music aficionados love to despise for their middle-of-the-road sound, described by Oasis's manager Alan McGee as 'music for bedwetters'.

The Arctic Monkeys debacle represents the first real snag for the much-touted Project Gordon makeover, supposed to rebrand the Chancellor as a softer, more engaging character en route to Number 10. Along with the lilac ties and family snapshots of Brown with his two boys has even come a new warmth to colleagues: he recently telephoned a string of junior ministers in the aftermath of the coup against Blair, dishing out his phone number and inviting them to call him any time.

Among the favoured were James Purnell and Liam Byrne, both previously close to Blair, and both part of a policy review announced by Downing Street last week. 'Gordon called James and said he was delighted he was part of the review,' said a source familiar with the conversation. 'The tone was very warm, and he gave him his telephone number to use whenever he had issues he might want to discuss.'

The most startling step of all in his makeover was his interview with New Woman magazine, which earlier this summer reported the Chancellor saying that Arctic Monkeys 'really wakes you up in the mornings' and that he loves Pop Idol. Newspaper reports that he sprang out of bed listening to the band on his iPod followed. But according to an interview with this month's GQ, that was all a misunderstanding.

Asked if he really liked the band, the Chancellor responded: 'You've got to laugh, because actually I was asked did I prefer Arctic Monkeys to James Blunt (of 'You're Beautiful' fame), and I think I said I'd prefer Coldplay. But I made a joke that Arctic Monkeys would certainly wake you up in the morning. So, I mean, I've heard Arctic Monkeys and they're very loud.'

Pressed on his favourite track, the Chancellor could only say: 'Well, I mean, I have got them. But they are very loud.'

Brown does own an iPod - his wife bought it for him - but it is said to contain largely speeches, including Bob Geldof's famous four-letter tirade at Live Aid, and classical music.

The Chancellor is on more comfortable ground in an interview today with BBC1's The Politics Show, for which veteran political reporter Jon Sopel followed him to New York last week. In that he defended the special relationship but cited differences with the Bush administration over the post-war redevelopment of Iraq, adding: 'We should have done more about the economic development of Iraq. We have made our views known... I, as someone who look as at economies and looks at what might have happened, know that we could have done that better.'

Sources close to him said Brown had challenged the White House over what he saw as too much focus on rebuilding the oil industry rather than examining measures to help communities return to normal. Gordon was very critical about, "Why are we just concentrating on getting the oil supplies running? Why haven't we done this in a way that we did the economic recovery plan in Europe (after the war)?"' said one.

Brown also denied in the interview, broadcast today, that he had demanded a public endorsement as Blair's anointed successor at the height of the crisis between them, adding: 'The discussions were actually about how I wanted Tony to be able to make his own decisions in his own way.'

However he failed to condemn Tom Watson, the ex-minister personally close to him who resigned after signing a letter encouraging Tony Blair to clarify his departure date. Asked if Watson was disloyal, Brown said only: 'He probably, reflecting on it, may wish to change his mind.'

'Project Gordon' will continue next week with the launch of a book of Brown's collected speeches, plus endorsements from figures like Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan.

Src: Guardian.co.uk