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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| PM's envoy Gardiner leaves role | PM's envoy Gardiner leaves role |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A third member of the government has left their job after joining a list of MPs calling for a leadership challenge. | A third member of the government has left their job after joining a list of MPs calling for a leadership challenge. |
| Barry Gardiner left his job as the PM's special envoy for forestry, days after Labour vice chair Joan Ryan and junior whip Siobhain McDonagh were sacked. | Barry Gardiner left his job as the PM's special envoy for forestry, days after Labour vice chair Joan Ryan and junior whip Siobhain McDonagh were sacked. |
| Gordon Brown's spokesman insisted the PM was focused on the big issues of the economy and public services. | Gordon Brown's spokesman insisted the PM was focused on the big issues of the economy and public services. |
| Meanwhile Labour officials have denied breaching the party's constitution, by ignoring MPs' leader election calls. | Meanwhile Labour officials have denied breaching the party's constitution, by ignoring MPs' leader election calls. |
| Mr Gardiner joins Joan Ryan and Siobhain McDonagh who have both been sacked from government jobs for calling for a leadership challenge. | Mr Gardiner joins Joan Ryan and Siobhain McDonagh who have both been sacked from government jobs for calling for a leadership challenge. |
| 'Mutual consent' | 'Mutual consent' |
| Mr Brown's spokesman said on Monday: "Barry Gardiner is no longer the prime minister's special representative on forestry matters. That happened by mutual consent over the weekend." | Mr Brown's spokesman said on Monday: "Barry Gardiner is no longer the prime minister's special representative on forestry matters. That happened by mutual consent over the weekend." |
| Mr Gardiner had accused Mr Brown at the weekend of "vacillation, loss of international credibility and timorous political manoeuvres that the public cannot understand". | Mr Gardiner had accused Mr Brown at the weekend of "vacillation, loss of international credibility and timorous political manoeuvres that the public cannot understand". |
| The voters have made their mind up about Gordon and it's not a positive decision Graham StringerLabour rebel Q&A: The situation explained | The voters have made their mind up about Gordon and it's not a positive decision Graham StringerLabour rebel Q&A: The situation explained |
| But the spokesman said Mr Brown was not being distracted by the continued speculation, adding: "What the prime minister is doing is concentrating on the issues that matter to the country - the situation in the economy, what is happening in the financial markets, Northern Ireland and crime." | But the spokesman said Mr Brown was not being distracted by the continued speculation, adding: "What the prime minister is doing is concentrating on the issues that matter to the country - the situation in the economy, what is happening in the financial markets, Northern Ireland and crime." |
| Mr Brown is due to attend a meeting of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee on Tuesday, which is expected to discuss whether nomination papers should be sent out. | Mr Brown is due to attend a meeting of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee on Tuesday, which is expected to discuss whether nomination papers should be sent out. |
| About 12 rebel MPs have requested they be sent out to all MPs, ahead of next week's party conference. They need 70 Labour MPs to nominate a challenger if they are to bring about a leadership election. | About 12 rebel MPs have requested they be sent out to all MPs, ahead of next week's party conference. They need 70 Labour MPs to nominate a challenger if they are to bring about a leadership election. |
| Rules challenged | Rules challenged |
| But Labour's general secretary, Ray Collins, has not distributed them, saying the convention of the last 11 years is that they are only sent out to individual MPs upon request. | But Labour's general secretary, Ray Collins, has not distributed them, saying the convention of the last 11 years is that they are only sent out to individual MPs upon request. |
| Critics say this breaches clause 4B 2 of the constitution, which states "where there is no vacancy, nominations shall be sought each year prior to the annual session of the party conference." | Critics say this breaches clause 4B 2 of the constitution, which states "where there is no vacancy, nominations shall be sought each year prior to the annual session of the party conference." |
| They believe a new set of nominations may show a large drop in support for Mr Brown, who last year was nominated by all but seven Labour MPs for the leadership. | They believe a new set of nominations may show a large drop in support for Mr Brown, who last year was nominated by all but seven Labour MPs for the leadership. |
| The voters have made their mind up about Gordon and it's not a positive decision Graham StringerLabour MP Who are the rebels? | The voters have made their mind up about Gordon and it's not a positive decision Graham StringerLabour MP Who are the rebels? |
| David Evans, a former assistant general secretary of the party, told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme he was "baffled" as to why nomination papers had not been issued. | |
| "It seems to me the rule is crystal clear, it means that nominations should be sought and it seems to me that in the current circumstances, where a number of Labour MPs have invoked that rule, that there is no room for manoeuvre - that nominations should be issued to the Parliamentary Labour Party." | |
| However Graham Stringer, one of the 12 rebels calling for a leadership election, told the BBC News channel he did not think it would boil down to the "dry rules of the Labour Party" as the government was in an "unstable position" and the "real debate" was about the timing. | However Graham Stringer, one of the 12 rebels calling for a leadership election, told the BBC News channel he did not think it would boil down to the "dry rules of the Labour Party" as the government was in an "unstable position" and the "real debate" was about the timing. |
| He denied destabilising the party saying: "That is absolutely not true. What is happening is not because 12 of us think there should be a leadership challenge, we think there should be a leadership challenge because the government is not doing its job very well." | He denied destabilising the party saying: "That is absolutely not true. What is happening is not because 12 of us think there should be a leadership challenge, we think there should be a leadership challenge because the government is not doing its job very well." |
| He added: "The voters have made their mind up about Gordon and it's not a positive decision." | He added: "The voters have made their mind up about Gordon and it's not a positive decision." |
| Another rebel, George Howarth told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme that it was "not inconceivable" that Mr Brown might emerge from a leadership contest a stronger prime minister. | |
| Over the weekend Mr Brown was supported by cabinet ministers including Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who has been touted as a possible future leader, and deputy leader Harriet Harman. | |