It has emerged that Gordon Brown secured a commitment that Labour would pursue a "fairness agenda" when in government as part of the deal that saw Tony Blair become party leader.

A note from their infamous May 1994 Granita restaurant meeting emerged in Friday's newspapers and confirms that Brown rung concessions on policy from Blair in exchange for not opposing his friend and rival as party leader.

Now chancellor of the exchequer, Brown has operated with unprecedented power throughout Whitehall since Labour's election in 1997.

His insistence on a Labour government's priority being given to "social justice, employment opportunities and skills - which he believes should be the centrepiece of the programme" is as strong now as it was then.

The now prime minister's lack of control over his then more senior colleague is seen in part of the note where Brown's handwriting has scribbled out a section of the text and personally replaced it.

In the leaked copy of the faxed draft of a briefing paper on a "line" to be given to journalists, Brown crosses out the words "Tony is in full agreement with this [fairness agenda]" and replaces them with his own "Tony has guaranteed this will be pursued".

The note is said to have been prepared by Peter Mandelson at his home in Hartlepool the day after Blair and Brown dined at the Granita restaurant in Islington. It went through several drafts.

At the top of the paper are the handwritten words "Peter, ring me, Sue" who it is assumed are Mandelson and Brown's political assistant, Sue Nye.

The Granita meeting has until now been more notorious for marking the point at which Brown conceded Blair should stand as the "modernisers' candidate" in the leadership election to succeed John Smith.

And the note makes reference to Brown's magnanimity in standing aside to make way for the younger Blair who, he agrees, "has the edge" in opinion polls.

It was felt at the time that Brown could win in a party ballot but only in a hugely divisive contest, whereas Blair had the greater electoral appeal.

"Gordon has taken, as he said he would, a decision which puts unity and teamwork above personal ambition," the document says.

No reference is made to the rumoured pact between the two men that Blair will stand aside during the second term of a Labour government to make way for Brown.

The chancellor has refused to deny that such a pact exists on several occasions, whereas Blair, who shows no signs of tiring of the top job, has dismissed speculation as gossip.

The timing of the note's release to the media, nine years after it was penned, will raise eyebrows in Westminster.

On Thursday, the Cabinet met to finalise the government's position on the euro.

Brown has been accused of railroading his sceptical policy through by hoarding power in the Treasury.

Mandelson said last month that Brown had "outmanoeuvred" his boss on the issue.