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Labour MPs seek leadership vote | Labour MPs seek leadership vote |
(10 minutes later) | |
A handful of Labour MPs have called for a leadership contest in the party, the BBC has learnt. | A handful of Labour MPs have called for a leadership contest in the party, the BBC has learnt. |
Labour sources have confirmed they have received letters from a "small number" of MPs, thought to be in single figures, asking for a contest. | Labour sources have confirmed they have received letters from a "small number" of MPs, thought to be in single figures, asking for a contest. |
They said they had received a similar number of requests in previous years. | They said they had received a similar number of requests in previous years. |
The development will increase pressure on Gordon Brown whose efforts to rally the government with housing and energy initiatives have been criticised. | The development will increase pressure on Gordon Brown whose efforts to rally the government with housing and energy initiatives have been criticised. |
Rumblings | |
A number of MPs have been particularly upset with the government's decision not to pursue a windfall tax on energy companies to help people cope with rising fuel bills this winter. | |
It would take 71 Labour MPs to call for a leadership contest before it had to be put to the party conference. | |
The development comes at the end of a week in which Mr Brown has sought to reassert his authority after a summer of rumblings about his leadership. | |
In an article released ahead of Labour's conference later this month, Mr Brown pledged to "confront" personal challenges and said the UK would emerge a "stronger and fairer" country from the economic downturn. | |
In a newspaper article on Friday, Cabinet colleague Jack Straw said the next election was "still Labour's to lose" despite polls showing the party consistently trailing the Conservatives. | |
The Justice Secretary backed Mr Brown but urged the party to reconnect with the priorities of voters in "Middle Britain". | |
"We have already changed our leader and it was the right change," he said, referring to Mr Brown succeeding Tony Blair last year. | |
"It has become fashionable to have a go at Gordon at the moment but that will burn itself out." |