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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Brown 'must change course' to win | Brown 'must change course' to win |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Gordon Brown can win the next general election for Labour providing he changes course, former foreign secretary Margaret Beckett has said. | Gordon Brown can win the next general election for Labour providing he changes course, former foreign secretary Margaret Beckett has said. |
| The prime minister's leadership has come under pressure from within his party after defeat in Thursday's Crewe and Nantwich by-election. | The prime minister's leadership has come under pressure from within his party after defeat in Thursday's Crewe and Nantwich by-election. |
| Ms Beckett said Labour had to learn from the electorate's "clear desire to see a change of course". | Ms Beckett said Labour had to learn from the electorate's "clear desire to see a change of course". |
| Mr Brown has said he can steer the UK through "difficult" economic times. | Mr Brown has said he can steer the UK through "difficult" economic times. |
| Ms Beckett told BBC Two's Newsnight programme that Mr Brown had a track record of success. | Ms Beckett told BBC Two's Newsnight programme that Mr Brown had a track record of success. |
| "There is absolutely nothing to say that provided we listen to the electorate, and learn from their clear desire to see a change of course, there's nothing whatsoever to say the result of the next general election is set," she said. | "There is absolutely nothing to say that provided we listen to the electorate, and learn from their clear desire to see a change of course, there's nothing whatsoever to say the result of the next general election is set," she said. |
| 'Disoriented' | |
| Most of Saturday's newspapers lead with speculation about Mr Brown's future, with a variety of potential successors identified. | Most of Saturday's newspapers lead with speculation about Mr Brown's future, with a variety of potential successors identified. |
| The Guardian says an increasing number of minsters have voiced the fear that Labour cannot win the next general election with Mr Brown in charge. | |
| The Daily Telegraph says ministers are urging their leader to scrap rises in car taxes and petrol duty to regain popularity. | |
| Austin Mitchell, Labour MP for Grimsby, told BBC Radio 4 that the by-election had been a "disaster" and had left the party "disoriented". What we've got to learn is that we've had 10 years of walking on water, but now we're going to get our feet wet Austin Mitchell, Labour MP | Austin Mitchell, Labour MP for Grimsby, told BBC Radio 4 that the by-election had been a "disaster" and had left the party "disoriented". What we've got to learn is that we've had 10 years of walking on water, but now we're going to get our feet wet Austin Mitchell, Labour MP |
| But he said the media was "magnifying the discontent" within the party and dismissed talk of a leadership coup. | But he said the media was "magnifying the discontent" within the party and dismissed talk of a leadership coup. |
| "This lot wouldn't know how to organise a coup if the research department gave them a manual on how to do it," he said. | "This lot wouldn't know how to organise a coup if the research department gave them a manual on how to do it," he said. |
| "We are supportive of Gordon Brown, on the whole, and there's no alternative in any case. What's the point in changing the leadership at this stage in the game?" | "We are supportive of Gordon Brown, on the whole, and there's no alternative in any case. What's the point in changing the leadership at this stage in the game?" |
| Mr Mitchell said the prime minister must listen more, both to his party or the public. | |
| "We've lost touch with people," he said. "It's all been a marketing effort, we've treated them with public relations and spin, we've never actually listened. | "We've lost touch with people," he said. "It's all been a marketing effort, we've treated them with public relations and spin, we've never actually listened. |
| "And to be fair Gordon hasn't listened to us. | |
| "The Crewe and Nantwich by-election was a disaster, but it's a disaster which we should learn from, and what we've got to learn is that we've had 10 years of walking on water, but now we're going to get our feet wet." | "The Crewe and Nantwich by-election was a disaster, but it's a disaster which we should learn from, and what we've got to learn is that we've had 10 years of walking on water, but now we're going to get our feet wet." |
| 'Get behind him' | |
| However, so far the appetite of backbenchers for a leadership contest appears to be slight. | However, so far the appetite of backbenchers for a leadership contest appears to be slight. |
| John McDonnell, who made an attempt for the Labour Party leadership in 2007, said he detected no mood for change at present. | John McDonnell, who made an attempt for the Labour Party leadership in 2007, said he detected no mood for change at present. |
| Fellow MP Alan Simpson said Mr Brown had until the end of the year to "turn things round". | Fellow MP Alan Simpson said Mr Brown had until the end of the year to "turn things round". |
| But former deputy prime minister John Prescott told BBC Radio 5 Live that Labour's current problems were rooted in the economy and Mr Brown was "the one man in our whole system here in Britain" who could fix them. I think the mood right now is, 'Can things get any worse?' Prof Robert Worcester, Mori | |
| "So let's have a bit of trust, if you like," Mr Prescott said. "Gordon can do the job, let's get behind him - nobody's got any appetite for replacing [him]." | |
| Current deputy leader Harriet Harman agreed, saying the vast majority of Labour members were "solidly behind" Mr Brown. | |
| Public mood | |
| Professor Robert Worcester, founder of pollsters Mori, told BBC Radio 4 that it was skilled working class voters who appeared to have deserted Labour. | Professor Robert Worcester, founder of pollsters Mori, told BBC Radio 4 that it was skilled working class voters who appeared to have deserted Labour. |
| "They vote typically in anticipation - are things going to get better?" he said. | "They vote typically in anticipation - are things going to get better?" he said. |
| "The slogan of 1997, 'It can only get better', was spot-on for the mood of the electorate at that time. | "The slogan of 1997, 'It can only get better', was spot-on for the mood of the electorate at that time. |
| "I think the mood right now is, 'Can things get any worse?'" | "I think the mood right now is, 'Can things get any worse?'" |
| Tony Travers, director the Greater London Group at the London School of Economics, said: "I think this group [of voters] probably feels it hasn't been offered as much by the Labour government as it expected to. | Tony Travers, director the Greater London Group at the London School of Economics, said: "I think this group [of voters] probably feels it hasn't been offered as much by the Labour government as it expected to. |
| "I think what Labour is going to have to do is to find new ideas and messages that aim particularly at this group of key marginal voters." | "I think what Labour is going to have to do is to find new ideas and messages that aim particularly at this group of key marginal voters." |