GORDON Brown yesterday appeared to get only qualified support as he sought to stamp his authority on his Cabinet with a "back me or sack me" message of defiance.

As the Prime Minister took a Cabinet beyond Downing St and Chequers for the first time in almost 90 years, relocating to Birmingham for the day, he issued a cry of unity to his leading ministers, insisting he would draw on personal trials such as losing his eye and the death of his daughter in guiding Britain through the economic turmoil.

John Hutton, however, Westminster's Business Secretary and often regarded as the leading Blairite in Mr Brown's team, only gave a qualified pledge of support to his boss yesterday.

Asked if he supported the PM, he replied that he backed "the work of the Prime Minister". David Miliband, who penned an article after the by-election defeat in Glasgow East calling for change, said: "Gordon is leading us with more vigour and determination and will prove people wrong."

Some pundits observed how this seemed to suggest Mr Brown had previously failed to perform well.

Before the Cabinet meeting, which focused on the economy, Mr Brown and his team took part in discussions with 200 people at the city's international convention centre.

Every member of the Cabinet carried out visits in the West Midlands, themed around issues including community policing and jobs.

The PM said: "The world economy, whatever happens to Britain, will grow massively in size over the next few years because China and India and Asia are all coming up.

"The question is who is going to get the benefit from that growth and it's a huge time of opportunity for us.

"We can do well but we have got to work out together how we can make our way in what is a new world of new change that is hitting all of us."

Jack Straw, Westminster's Justice Secretary, emerged from the Birmingham Cabinet to insist Mr Brown was still the best man for the job.

He said: "This Prime Minister is exactly the same person today as he was 15 months ago when he was elected not by acclamation by the Labour Party but because virtually everybody in the party wanted him to do that job."

During the round-table talks, Alistair Darling welcomed the nationalisation of the US mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

He said: "Yes, it will help, for this reason: the American economy is by far the largest economy in the world."

Today, the Chancellor could face a hostile reception at the TUC Congress in Brighton, whose delegates are pressing for a windfall tax against the energy companies' profits.

Mr Brown is likely to come under pressure from union chiefs tonight at their annual dinner on the Sussex coast.