the case that the Cabinet secretary asked for an investigation of the -LRB- prime minister 's -RRB- treatment of Number 10 staff , '' his office said in a statement . `` These assertions have been put to the Cabinet secretary who has rejected them . '' Before the publication of the excerpts from the book , there were rumors it would allege that Brown had hit staffers , which he denied Saturday . `` Let me just say , absolutely clearly , so that there is no misunderstanding about that : I have never , never hit anybody in my life , '' he said , according to a statement from his office . The book , `` The End of the Party , '' apparently does not claim the prime minister hit people . Brown is required by law to call an election by June this year . The date has not yet been announced , but it is widely expected to be May 6 , and the election campaign has already started . One of the top strategists in Brown 's Labour Party , Peter Mandelson , declined to deny that Brown had a temper , but
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is denying allegations of `` abusive behavior '' and `` volcanic eruptions of foul temper '' ahead of the publication of a new book by a top British political journalist . The claims come in a book by Andrew Rawnsley of the Observer newspaper , which will be released March 1 . The newspaper began running excerpts on Sunday . `` These malicious allegations are totally without foundation , '' Brown 's official spokesman said in a statement Saturday . The spokesman is traditionally not quoted by name . The Observer claimed that Brown 's behavior upset staff at his office , 10 Downing Street , so much so that the head of the civil service launched an investigation and `` ordered '' the prime minister `` to change his behavior . '' Britain has a professional civil service which runs the administration of the government , distinct from elected politicians . The Cabinet Office , a part of the civil service , issued a strongly-worded denial that Sir Gus O'Donnell had looked into Brown 's behavior or warned him about it . `` It is categorically not