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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Miliband rejects leadership row | Miliband rejects leadership row |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband has thrown his support behind the prime minister and rejected calls for a Labour leadership contest. | Foreign Secretary David Miliband has thrown his support behind the prime minister and rejected calls for a Labour leadership contest. |
| Mr Miliband told BBC One's Politics Show he believed Gordon Brown was fully capable of winning the next election. | Mr Miliband told BBC One's Politics Show he believed Gordon Brown was fully capable of winning the next election. |
| The foreign secretary has been tipped as a potential successor to the PM. | The foreign secretary has been tipped as a potential successor to the PM. |
| More than a dozen MPs have called for a leadership contest including former Labour minister Fiona Mactaggart and party vice chair Joan Ryan. | More than a dozen MPs have called for a leadership contest including former Labour minister Fiona Mactaggart and party vice chair Joan Ryan. |
| She was sacked from her party post after supporting the demands. | She was sacked from her party post after supporting the demands. |
| 'Bottled it?' | 'Bottled it?' |
| Mr Miliband said: "I don't support their argument that we should trigger a leadership contest. | Mr Miliband said: "I don't support their argument that we should trigger a leadership contest. |
| "I've said I expect Gordon to lead us into the next general election. I will support him in doing so." | "I've said I expect Gordon to lead us into the next general election. I will support him in doing so." |
| The foreign secretary's support for the prime minister is particularly significant as he has been seen as a contender for the top job. | The foreign secretary's support for the prime minister is particularly significant as he has been seen as a contender for the top job. |
| In July, he wrote an article outlining Labour's future but with no mention of Mr Brown. The move was seen by many as an attempt to test the water over a potential take-over bid. | In July, he wrote an article outlining Labour's future but with no mention of Mr Brown. The move was seen by many as an attempt to test the water over a potential take-over bid. |
| I think we should give someone else a chance to take over Fiona Mactaggart Former Labour minister class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5337&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| In response to questioning on the Politics Show, Mr Miliband denied he had "bottled it" at the time by not following through with a challenge. | In response to questioning on the Politics Show, Mr Miliband denied he had "bottled it" at the time by not following through with a challenge. |
| Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and Chief Whip Geoff Hoon have also argued against a leadership battle. | Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and Chief Whip Geoff Hoon have also argued against a leadership battle. |
| Among those who have called for a challenge to Mr Brown is fomer minister Barry Gardiner, now a special envoy on forestry for the prime minister. | Among those who have called for a challenge to Mr Brown is fomer minister Barry Gardiner, now a special envoy on forestry for the prime minister. |
| Mr Gardiner said: "I was one of those who nominated Gordon last year, and I was very hopeful that he would come in with a very clear vision for the country, and unfortunately I don't think he's managed to do that. | Mr Gardiner said: "I was one of those who nominated Gordon last year, and I was very hopeful that he would come in with a very clear vision for the country, and unfortunately I don't think he's managed to do that. |
| "I think the public have therefore stopped listening to him." | "I think the public have therefore stopped listening to him." |
| Ms Mactaggart said: "I think we should give someone else a chance to take over." | Ms Mactaggart said: "I think we should give someone else a chance to take over." |
| Rally of support | Rally of support |
| On Friday, junior whip Siobhain McDonagh was also fired for calling for a debate on Gordon Brown's leadership. | On Friday, junior whip Siobhain McDonagh was also fired for calling for a debate on Gordon Brown's leadership. |
| Another of those who called for the leadership nomination papers, Labour MP Frank Field, said those calling for a contest had initially done so in private, but he suspected Mr Brown's supporters had leaked the story in order to smoke out the rebels. | Another of those who called for the leadership nomination papers, Labour MP Frank Field, said those calling for a contest had initially done so in private, but he suspected Mr Brown's supporters had leaked the story in order to smoke out the rebels. |
| He told the BBC: "As far as I know none of us leaked to the media that this attempt was occurring. | He told the BBC: "As far as I know none of us leaked to the media that this attempt was occurring. |
| "It appears that those close to the centre of government leaked this story in an attempt to smash the efforts to get a gauge of parliamentary opinion. | "It appears that those close to the centre of government leaked this story in an attempt to smash the efforts to get a gauge of parliamentary opinion. |
| It's very difficult to see what they do next Laura KuenssbergBBC political correspondent | It's very difficult to see what they do next Laura KuenssbergBBC political correspondent |
| "And that itself is pretty worrying - that you can't write in private to the Labour party without the letters then being used as an attempt to thwart what I see as a quite legitimate objective." | "And that itself is pretty worrying - that you can't write in private to the Labour party without the letters then being used as an attempt to thwart what I see as a quite legitimate objective." |
| BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said the rebels were attempting to lay a trap for Mr Brown, forcing him into a leadership contest. | BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said the rebels were attempting to lay a trap for Mr Brown, forcing him into a leadership contest. |
| But she said this was a risky strategy. | But she said this was a risky strategy. |
| "Clearly this has been organised - a drip, drip over the days. But until there's a major figure like David Miliband, or perhaps Alan Johnson, who's willing to take their challenge forward... it's very difficult to see what they do next." | "Clearly this has been organised - a drip, drip over the days. But until there's a major figure like David Miliband, or perhaps Alan Johnson, who's willing to take their challenge forward... it's very difficult to see what they do next." |
| John Hutton says the cabinet should rally behind Gordon Brown | John Hutton says the cabinet should rally behind Gordon Brown |
| Our correspondent said public in-fighting was always very unpopular with the electorate and that for the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, the row was "a dream come true". | Our correspondent said public in-fighting was always very unpopular with the electorate and that for the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, the row was "a dream come true". |
| However, she added: "This could have the lid put on it in the next couple of weeks." | However, she added: "This could have the lid put on it in the next couple of weeks." |
| Other ministers have rallied to support the prime minister, arguing that it is not the time for a challenge to Gordon Brown - nor for a public debate about the future of the party. | Other ministers have rallied to support the prime minister, arguing that it is not the time for a challenge to Gordon Brown - nor for a public debate about the future of the party. |
| Among them is Business Secretary John Hutton. | Among them is Business Secretary John Hutton. |
| He joined those in support of the prime minister by telling Gordon Brown's critics they should concentrate their fire on other parties, not their own leader. | He joined those in support of the prime minister by telling Gordon Brown's critics they should concentrate their fire on other parties, not their own leader. |
| He said: "It's the job of members of the cabinet... to support the prime minister in what he's doing and I do that because he is setting the right direction for Britain." | He said: "It's the job of members of the cabinet... to support the prime minister in what he's doing and I do that because he is setting the right direction for Britain." |
| 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. |