This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7614424.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Ex-minister seeks Labour contest | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Former Labour minister Fiona Mactaggart has said that another MP should be allowed to stand for the party leadership against Gordon Brown. | |
| Ms Mactaggart told the BBC's Politics Show: "I think we should give someone else a chance to take over." | |
| She and four other Labour MPs have asked for leadership nomination forms. | |
| Her comments come after another MP, Joan Ryan, was sacked as Labour's vice chair after joining calls for a leadership contest. | |
| Ms Ryan, MP for Enfield North and a former Home Office minister, has also been sacked as Mr Brown's Cyprus envoy - a position she was given when he entered Number 10 in June last year. | Ms Ryan, MP for Enfield North and a former Home Office minister, has also been sacked as Mr Brown's Cyprus envoy - a position she was given when he entered Number 10 in June last year. |
| On Friday, junior whip Siobhain McDonagh was fired for calling for a debate on Gordon Brown's leadership. | |
| 'Tory agenda' | |
| Ms Mactaggart said she made her request for the papers to be sent out at the end of August. | |
| She told the BBC: "I think we should give a chance to someone else to take over, I really do. | |
| "The problem that I see is a lack of clarity about our ambitions for Britain. | |
| "When you look at the Conservatives, everything they do is a reaction to an agenda that we set, and yet suddenly, recently, we've been reacting to their issues. We don't need to." | |
| Sacked Labour vice chair defends her call for a leadership contest | |
| Entering the latest row on Saturday evening Labour MP John McDonnell - who has long been urging a leadership election - described current Labour infighting as "like watching the crew having a punch up on the deck of the Titanic". | |
| The MP for Hayes and Harlington said: "Most Labour Party members are looking on aghast as the Blairites and Brownites fight an irrelevant turf war. | The MP for Hayes and Harlington said: "Most Labour Party members are looking on aghast as the Blairites and Brownites fight an irrelevant turf war. |
| "Without a single policy difference between them they are willing to destroy a Labour government. I challenge both of them to publish a policy programme to put before our members for support and let's test the views of our supporters on the way forward for Labour." | "Without a single policy difference between them they are willing to destroy a Labour government. I challenge both of them to publish a policy programme to put before our members for support and let's test the views of our supporters on the way forward for Labour." |
| 'No plot' | 'No plot' |
| The Labour Party has said nine MPs have so far asked for nomination papers to be issued to all members of the parliamentary party - five of these have now made their names public. | The Labour Party has said nine MPs have so far asked for nomination papers to be issued to all members of the parliamentary party - five of these have now made their names public. |
| Several more Labour MPs are expected to air their views in the next few days. | Several more Labour MPs are expected to air their views in the next few days. |
| Ministers say it is not the time for a challenge to Gordon Brown - nor for a public debate about the future of the party. | Ministers say it is not the time for a challenge to Gordon Brown - nor for a public debate about the future of the party. |
| I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick Robinson's blog | I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick Robinson's blog |
| Joan Ryan said a leadership contest was essential to meeting the needs of the country. | Joan Ryan said a leadership contest was essential to meeting the needs of the country. |
| "I think we need to have a leadership election to trigger a deep and far-reaching debate and those people in our party who have something to offer and are capable of leadership need to put themselves forward," she said. | "I think we need to have a leadership election to trigger a deep and far-reaching debate and those people in our party who have something to offer and are capable of leadership need to put themselves forward," she said. |
| "We need a multiplicity of candidates. That's a healthy thing to do and that's part of the democracy of our party. It's happening anyway, but it's happening behind closed doors." | "We need a multiplicity of candidates. That's a healthy thing to do and that's part of the democracy of our party. It's happening anyway, but it's happening behind closed doors." |
| She earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she was not part of a plot. | She earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she was not part of a plot. |
| "I know there's a lot of people feel the same way and I know they find it very difficult to openly raise this issue," she said. | "I know there's a lot of people feel the same way and I know they find it very difficult to openly raise this issue," she said. |
| "I find it very hard. I'm a loyalist to my government. But I actually feel now this is the most responsible thing I can do and I would be irresponsible if I didn't now speak up." | "I find it very hard. I'm a loyalist to my government. But I actually feel now this is the most responsible thing I can do and I would be irresponsible if I didn't now speak up." |
| 'Error of judgement' | 'Error of judgement' |
| Former Home Office minister George Howarth - who has also signed a Progress magazine article calling on the party to be "bold" - told the BBC he had made his request for nomination papers to be sent out roughly two weeks ago. | |
| EIGHT WHO WANT A CONTEST Fiona Mactaggart - elected 1997, responsibility for the criminal justice system until 2006Graham Stringer - elected 1997, first to call for Gordon Brown to resignJoan Ryan - elected 1997, Home Office parliamentary under-secretary 2006-07, Labour vice chair and PM's envoy to Cyprus to 2008George Howarth - elected 1986, parliamentary roles at Home Office and Northern Ireland, member Privy Council since 2005 Siobhain McDonagh - elected 1997, ex-PPS to John Reid, and junior whip 2007-08 Gordon Prentice - elected 1992, did not endorse Gordon Brown as party leaderJanet Anderson - elected 1992, former junior whip and ex-under secretary at culture departmentJohn McDonnell - elected 1997, left-wing New Labour critic, tried to stand as a candidate for leader of the Labour party in 2007 | |
| But there have also been a string of MPs loyal to Mr Brown dismissing the actions of those calling for a leadership election. | But there have also been a string of MPs loyal to Mr Brown dismissing the actions of those calling for a leadership election. |
| Tony Lloyd, the chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, said he did not know of any great amount of support for Ms Ryan's position. | Tony Lloyd, the chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, said he did not know of any great amount of support for Ms Ryan's position. |
| "What it does represent is a handful of people who are not joined by the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs," he said. | "What it does represent is a handful of people who are not joined by the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs," he said. |
| Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, has also criticised those Labour MPs seeking a leadership contest. | Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, has also criticised those Labour MPs seeking a leadership contest. |
| "I think it is an error of judgement," she said. | "I think it is an error of judgement," she said. |
| "I think people would expect the party of government to be focused on taking us through difficult economic times and protecting those at risk." | "I think people would expect the party of government to be focused on taking us through difficult economic times and protecting those at risk." |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Brown is unlucky to have taken power when the world economy was collapsing LJ Hamilton, GlasgowSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Brown is unlucky to have taken power when the world economy was collapsing LJ Hamilton, GlasgowSend us your comments |
| Labour MP for Dagenham John Cruddas has dismissed the calls for a leadership election as an indulgent sideshow that would do nothing but harm to the party. | |
| Mr Cruddas - who ran for the deputy party leadership last year - said those seeking a challenge to Mr Brown were "delusional". | Mr Cruddas - who ran for the deputy party leadership last year - said those seeking a challenge to Mr Brown were "delusional". |
| And in an interview in the Daily Telegraph, Schools Secretary Ed Balls, one of Gordon Brown's most senior allies, said there was "very little chance" of the prime minister being ousted before the next election. | And in an interview in the Daily Telegraph, Schools Secretary Ed Balls, one of Gordon Brown's most senior allies, said there was "very little chance" of the prime minister being ousted before the next election. |
| But the BBC's Nick Robinson said: "I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum." | But the BBC's Nick Robinson said: "I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum." |
| Harriet Harman defends Gordon Brown's leadership | Harriet Harman defends Gordon Brown's leadership |
| He added: "There will be MPs thinking 'is it time for me to move?'" | He added: "There will be MPs thinking 'is it time for me to move?'" |
| The party's general secretary Ray Collins has rejected the MPs' call for nomination papers to be sent out to all MPs - saying that under party rules he is not required to do so. | The party's general secretary Ray Collins has rejected the MPs' call for nomination papers to be sent out to all MPs - saying that under party rules he is not required to do so. |
| The party's annual conference starts in Manchester next weekend. | The party's annual conference starts in Manchester next weekend. |
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said Britain was "watching the death throes of the Labour Party". | Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said Britain was "watching the death throes of the Labour Party". |
| Tory frontbencher Chris Grayling said: "Gordon Brown should sort this out once and for all by calling an early General Election." | Tory frontbencher Chris Grayling said: "Gordon Brown should sort this out once and for all by calling an early General Election." |