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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Ministers rally to support Brown | Ministers rally to support Brown |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three cabinet ministers have rallied to the prime minister's defence, insisting he is the right man for the job. | Three cabinet ministers have rallied to the prime minister's defence, insisting he is the right man for the job. |
| Alistair Darling, Harriet Harman and John Denham declared their support for the beleaguered Gordon Brown in the News of the World. | Alistair Darling, Harriet Harman and John Denham declared their support for the beleaguered Gordon Brown in the News of the World. |
| It follows Foreign Secretary David Miliband's article discussing Labour's future without mentioning Mr Brown. | It follows Foreign Secretary David Miliband's article discussing Labour's future without mentioning Mr Brown. |
| Meanwhile, former cabinet minister Stephen Byers has echoed Mr Miliband's call for Labour to start afresh. | Meanwhile, former cabinet minister Stephen Byers has echoed Mr Miliband's call for Labour to start afresh. |
| Mr Darling, the chancellor, deputy leader Ms Harman and skills secretary Mr Denham issued a public vote of confidence in the prime minister in the News of the World. | Mr Darling, the chancellor, deputy leader Ms Harman and skills secretary Mr Denham issued a public vote of confidence in the prime minister in the News of the World. |
| Ms Harman wrote that the party needed someone who had the ability to see Britain through the current economic downturn. | Ms Harman wrote that the party needed someone who had the ability to see Britain through the current economic downturn. |
| Gordon Brown understands where the problems are coming from better than anybody else in British politics John Denham | Gordon Brown understands where the problems are coming from better than anybody else in British politics John Denham |
| "When you face these kinds of global problems you need as prime minister someone who is respected," she said. | "When you face these kinds of global problems you need as prime minister someone who is respected," she said. |
| "Someone whose hard work and ability over the last 11 years has made Britain better off. | "Someone whose hard work and ability over the last 11 years has made Britain better off. |
| "Gordon Brown is the right person for the job." | "Gordon Brown is the right person for the job." |
| 'Understands problems' | 'Understands problems' |
| Mr Darling praised the prime minister's "determination and strong purpose", while Mr Denham called for an end to the leadership speculation. | Mr Darling praised the prime minister's "determination and strong purpose", while Mr Denham called for an end to the leadership speculation. |
| "I think Gordon Brown understands where the problems are coming from better than anybody else in British politics, and what we are going to do about them," wrote Mr Denham. | "I think Gordon Brown understands where the problems are coming from better than anybody else in British politics, and what we are going to do about them," wrote Mr Denham. |
| The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson says while none of them attack Mr Miliband directly, their intervention is likely to be seen as a rebuff to the foreign secretary following his Guardian newspaper article earlier this week. | The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson says while none of them attack Mr Miliband directly, their intervention is likely to be seen as a rebuff to the foreign secretary following his Guardian newspaper article earlier this week. |
| He adds that it is not clear whether declarations of public support highlight Mr Brown's strengths or are signs of his weakness. | He adds that it is not clear whether declarations of public support highlight Mr Brown's strengths or are signs of his weakness. |
| Meanwhile, The Mail on Sunday has published a secret memo in which Tony Blair accuses Gordon Brown of playing into David Cameron's hands with a "lamentable" and "vacuous" performance as prime minister. | |
| The leaked memo, which was written in the aftermath of Labour's conference last year, says the prime minister junked Tony Blair's agenda but had nothing to put in its place. | The leaked memo, which was written in the aftermath of Labour's conference last year, says the prime minister junked Tony Blair's agenda but had nothing to put in its place. |
| A spokesman for Mr Blair told the Mail on Sunday the former prime minister was 100% behind Gordon Brown, but declined to comment on the memo itself. | A spokesman for Mr Blair told the Mail on Sunday the former prime minister was 100% behind Gordon Brown, but declined to comment on the memo itself. |
| 'Worthy initiatives' | 'Worthy initiatives' |
| Speaking to the Observer, former transport minister Mr Byers said Labour had a "political mountain to climb in order to win the next election". | Speaking to the Observer, former transport minister Mr Byers said Labour had a "political mountain to climb in order to win the next election". |
| But instead "we have a multitude of small policies and worthy initiatives that are more suited to a Sunday afternoon stroll", he said. | But instead "we have a multitude of small policies and worthy initiatives that are more suited to a Sunday afternoon stroll", he said. |
| "We must come forward with bold and ambitious policies that begin to change the terms of political debate by putting Labour on the front foot and the Tories on the defensive." | "We must come forward with bold and ambitious policies that begin to change the terms of political debate by putting Labour on the front foot and the Tories on the defensive." |
| Speculation over Mr Brown's position has raged since Labour's recent by-election defeat in Glasgow East. | Speculation over Mr Brown's position has raged since Labour's recent by-election defeat in Glasgow East. |