BROWN PILLS FURY; Storm after PM grilled on TV over painkillers rumour.

Byline: Kevin Schofield

GORDON Brown was yesterday forced to deny on live TV that he is hooked on painkillers.

The Prime Minister was grilled about the rumour while being interviewed by the BBC's Andrew Marr.

Labour party bosses said they were "extremely irritated" at the line of questioning.

And one Scots MP said the BBC had descended "to the gutter level."

Rumours have swept Westminster in recent weeks that Brown is taking strong medication to help him cope with his heavy workload.

Ma r r t o l d Brown he w a n t e d t o a s k a b o u t "something everybody has been talking about in the Westminster village".

He said: "A lot of people in this country use prescription painkillers. and pills to help them get through.

"Are you one of them?" But the PM flatly denied the suggestion.

Brown said: "No. I think this is the sort of questioning which i s a l l too often entering the lexicon of British politics."

When Marr later tried to steer the interview back on to pill use, Brown cut him off, saying: "I've already answered that question."

Paisley and Renfrewshire MP Jim Sheridan called on Ma r r and the Beeb t o apologise.

Blind

He told the Record: "To question the Prime Minister on national television about his health is just outrageous.

"If they are going to descend to the gutter level, then it is a sad day for all of us."

Brown was also quizzed on claims that the sight in his remaining eye is worsening.

The PM lost the sight in one eye in a rugby accident when he was a young man. And he faced questions about his health on his trip to America last week when he was asked if he was going blind.

Brown told Marr: "Every year I have to check, as I did only a few days ago, that my eyesight is good.

"T h e r e h a s b e e n absolutely no deterioration."

The row comes as a major blow on the eve of Labour's conference in Brighton, where Brown hopes to relaunch his f a l t e ring leadership.

Labour sources last night suggested Marr will have to ask Tory leader David Cameron about claims he used cannabis and cocaine as an Oxford University student when he is on the show next week.

CAPTION(S):

ANGER: Gordon Brown yesterday MAKING HIS POINT: Brown fights back as Marr, right, grills him yesterday