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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Miliband throws support behind PM | Miliband throws support behind PM |
| (about 7 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. |
| However cabinet colleague John Hutton said he would not criticise Labour MPs who called for a leadership contest. | However cabinet colleague John Hutton said he would not criticise Labour MPs who called for a leadership contest. |
| He also refused to criticise those who wanted Labour "to set out a stronger vision of what we are doing". | He also refused to criticise those who wanted Labour "to set out a stronger vision of what we are doing". |
| But Mr Hutton, the Business Secretary, also said he did support Mr Brown "because he is setting the right direction for Britain". | But Mr Hutton, the Business Secretary, also said he did support Mr Brown "because he is setting the right direction for Britain". |
| 'Future direction' | 'Future direction' |
| He told the BBC: "It is right and proper in a democracy that there should be that debate, within the Labour movement, within the Labour party at the moment about our future direction. | He told the BBC: "It is right and proper in a democracy that there should be that debate, within the Labour movement, within the Labour party at the moment about our future direction. |
| "I'm not going to criticise any of my colleagues who want Labour to do better and neither am I going to criticise those who say, for example, that we do need to set out a stronger vision of what we are doing. | "I'm not going to criticise any of my colleagues who want Labour to do better and neither am I going to criticise those who say, for example, that we do need to set out a stronger vision of what we are doing. |
| I think we should give someone else a chance to take over Fiona Mactaggart Former Labour minister Send us your comments class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2008/09/lots_of_work_fo.html">Read Nick Robinson's blog | |
| "It is a difficult political climate for us. There is no question at all about that. | "It is a difficult political climate for us. There is no question at all about that. |
| "So I think my colleagues are right to say that the government need to do better. For heaven's sake, we are 20 percentage points behind in the opinion polls. | "So I think my colleagues are right to say that the government need to do better. For heaven's sake, we are 20 percentage points behind in the opinion polls. |
| "And that is a challenge to all of us in the cabinet to do better - not just to Gordon as prime minister, but to all of us to do better, to make our arguments more convincing and clearer." | "And that is a challenge to all of us in the cabinet to do better - not just to Gordon as prime minister, but to all of us to do better, to make our arguments more convincing and clearer." |
| Successor | Successor |
| Mr Miliband has been tipped as a potential successor to the PM, and his decisiion to speak out against the rebels is seen as particularly significant as he has been seen as a contender for the top job. | Mr Miliband has been tipped as a potential successor to the PM, and his decisiion to speak out against the rebels is seen as particularly significant as he has been seen as a contender for the top job. |
| He said: "I don't support their (the rebels) argument that we should trigger a leadership contest. | He said: "I don't support their (the rebels) 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." |
| In July, Mr Miliband 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, Mr Miliband 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 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. |
| Contest call | Contest call |
| So far more than a dozen MPs have called for a leadership contest including former Labour minister Fiona Mactaggart and party vice chair Joan Ryan. | So far 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. |
| 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 |
| Meanwhile, according to the Scotsman newspaper, the unrest being caused by some Labour MPs risks wrecking the party's chances in the crucial Glenrothes by-election. | Meanwhile, according to the Scotsman newspaper, the unrest being caused by some Labour MPs risks wrecking the party's chances in the crucial Glenrothes by-election. |
| Labour is defending a majority of more than 10,000 in the Westminster seat, left vacant by the death of MP John MacDougall. | Labour is defending a majority of more than 10,000 in the Westminster seat, left vacant by the death of MP John MacDougall. |
| According to Jim Devine, MP for Livingston, a recent opinion poll showed 79% of people were put off by Labour because the party was divided. | According to Jim Devine, MP for Livingston, a recent opinion poll showed 79% of people were put off by Labour because the party was divided. |
| The latest Labour MP to cal for a challenge to Mr Brown is fomer minister Barry Gardiner, now a special envoy on forestry for the prime minister. | The latest Labour MP to cal for a challenge to Mr Brown is fomer minister Barry Gardiner, now a special envoy on forestry for the prime minister. |
| He 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. | He 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." |
| 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. |
| John Hutton says the cabinet should rally behind Gordon Brown | John Hutton says the cabinet should rally behind Gordon Brown |
| 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. |
| "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." |
| Major challenger | Major challenger |
| 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." |
| 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. |
| 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. |