LABOUR is "two-nil down" in its fight to keep David Cameron out of power, one of Gordon Brown's closest allies admits today.

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mirror, Schools Secretary Ed Balls says: "Everybody knows that if you are 2-0 down five minutes into the second half, you don't give up, you keep playing.

"The winner is the team that sticks together, stays determined and has the fitness, resilience and determination to win.

"We're a long way from a general election and there's still a lot to play for. But we've got to show people over the next months that we are good at running the economy."

On Chancellor Alistair Darling's warning last week that Britain faces the worst downturn for 60 years, Mr Balls says: "Alistair said it's going to be tough in the coming months and he's right about that.

"Things are going to get harder before they get easier. But over the next 18 months the economy can strengthen."

His comments echo Andy Hornby, chief of HBOS - Britain's biggest lender - who warned the credit crunch could last 18 months and house prices were unlikely to rise until 2010.

Meanwhile, Mr Balls - Mr Brown's key adviser at the Treasury for a decade - says the PM had not discussed with him any plans for a Cabinet reshuffle.

And he denied reports he was angling to take over from Mr Darling as Chancellor. Asked if he expected to remain in his schools job, he said: "I'd very much like to because it's such a challenge. This department has a big role to play."

(c) 2008 Sunday Mirror; London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.