British Liberal Democrat leader Mr Charles Kennedy will tonight seek to exploit criticism of Mr Tony Blair's presidential style and reports of his deepening rift with Mr Gordon Brown.
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Mr Charles Kennedy
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Mr Kennedy will accuse the prime minister of sidelining his cabinet and say the chancellor's dogged opposition to joining the euro is worsening his relationship with Mr Blair.
"The prime minister has been quick to set up task forces and policy tsars drawn from outside government," he will say. "He has been far less good at operating a system of cabinet government".
In a speech to business leaders in Cardiff, the Liberal Democrat leader will say:"The one cabinet colleague who does have virtually free rein is of course the chancellor.
"His dogged resistance to moving towards UK adoption of the euro has both damaged the economy, particularly the manufacturing sector, and opened up a rift at the heart of government.
In a recent documentary, former cabinet office minister Ms Mo Mowlam claimed Mr Blair acted more like a president than a prime minister.
She told the BBC a rift between Mr Blair and Mr Brown was "crippling" the British government. Her remarks are the first confirmation from a former cabinet minister of the split between the two.
PA