Mo Mowlam breaks her silence again today when she reveals that she was hounded out of office by Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell and Blair aide Jonathan Powell.

In her memoirs, serialised in the Daily Mail, the former Northern Ireland secretary claims that Mandelson was effectively lobbying for her job - whilst Downing Street was viciously briefing against her.

The Express claims today that senior civil servants were concerned about her becoming too close to high-ranking republicans.

The former minister also reveals that Mandelson said he felt used by Tony Blair after being forced to resign over the home loan scandal.