Brown fumbled PMQs 'because of nerves' says Balls

Gordon Brown's faltering debut at Prime Minister's Questions was down to nerves, his right-hand man said today.

Ed Balls, the new Secretary of State for Schools, said Mr Brown had performed to the "best of his ability". But he admitted: "Anybody is nervous when talking to the nation."

Mr Brown made a stuttering start in the Commons, at one point admitting he did not know the answer to a question as he had only been in the job for five days.

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Mr Balls brushed aside criticisms and said that in the end it would be Mr Brown's experience and "the qualities of his teamî which mattered. "He's got a good track record of delivery," he said.

Mr Balls was speaking while campaigning for the Ealing Southall by-election.

Heaccepted that the 19 July poll would give voters a chance to give their opinion on Mr Brown's first days. "It's a fight, it's a struggle, but I think we can win the trust of people here and across the country," he said.

Mr Balls's visit to endorse Labour candidate Virenvra Sharma, a local councillor, was marred when two Labour minders prevented Tory councillor Ian Gibb from entering the children's centre Mr Balls was visiting.

Mr Gibb, the council's cabinet member for children's services, said it was an "absolute disgraceî as he had been invited to the event. A Labour spokesman said it was a case of mistaken identity and as soon as they found out who Mr Gibb was he was let in.