Kevin Rudd dismisses Julia Gillard's memoir as a work of 'fiction'

Updated

Former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd has declared Julia Gillard's memoir a work of "fiction".

Ms Gillard has written a book about her time in the top job, including her acrimonious tussles with Mr Rudd over the leadership of the country.

In an interview aired on Tuesday, Ms Gillard, who deposed Mr Rudd in 2010 before he returned as Labor leader in the lead-up to last year's election, said she had "no choice" but to take over as prime minister.

"I still, even with the benefit of hindsight, don't see an alternative to what I did that day. I don't think I had a choice," she told interviewer Ray Martin.

"The reputation I have from that night is one of political brutality. Actually in the moment I was hesitant, a conversation went too long. I certainly fed hope, I shouldn't have done that."

Yesterday Mr Rudd released a statement saying his former deputy was trying to reconstruct a justification for toppling him as Labor leader.

"Consistent with the past, Mr Rudd has no substantive comment to make on Ms Gillard's latest contribution to Australian fiction," a spokesperson for Mr Rudd said.

"The Australian people have long reached their own conclusions about Ms Gillard's relationship with the truth - from the coup to the carbon tax.

"They have also reached their own conclusions on Ms Gillard's continuing efforts to reconstruct a justification after the event for her actions in June 2010, by trying to dress up personal political ambition as some higher purpose for the party and the government."

Ms Gillard did not contest last year's election and Mr Rudd resigned shortly after Labor was swept from office.

Topics: rudd-kevin, gillard-julia, alp, political-parties, federal-parliament, australia

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