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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Prescott: Disunity kills parties | Prescott: Disunity kills parties |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former deputy Labour leader John Prescott has said the party should get behind Gordon Brown - warning that "disunity kills" political parties. | Former deputy Labour leader John Prescott has said the party should get behind Gordon Brown - warning that "disunity kills" political parties. |
| Mr Prescott told the BBC people were worried about their jobs and quality of life - and all they heard from Labour were questions about the leadership. | Mr Prescott told the BBC people were worried about their jobs and quality of life - and all they heard from Labour were questions about the leadership. |
| He said that Gordon Brown was "the best man for that job" at a time of global crisis, adding "get behind your man". | He said that Gordon Brown was "the best man for that job" at a time of global crisis, adding "get behind your man". |
| Mr Prescott's comments come ahead of Labour's party conference. | Mr Prescott's comments come ahead of Labour's party conference. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Mr Prescott told Radio 4's Today: "The public is listening to Labour - all it hears it talking about is leadership. | |
| "For God's sake, they are worried about their jobs, they are worried about the future. They want somebody who can handle global problems, and Gordon Brown is that man." | |
| He said: "Disunity kills parties, whether it's Tories or Labour, and after 10 years it's amazing that we should be allowing a climate of opinion to undermine the kind of confidence in our party as to the role of a Labour Government. | |
| "I think if there's disunity, any party, all parties lose - the evidence is absolutely clear." | |
| Opinion poll | |
| Questions about Mr Brown's leadership have dominated the run up to the Manchester gathering. | Questions about Mr Brown's leadership have dominated the run up to the Manchester gathering. |
| It is seen as a big test for Mr Brown as he seeks to reassert his authority over the party following a series of poor election and opinion poll figures. | It is seen as a big test for Mr Brown as he seeks to reassert his authority over the party following a series of poor election and opinion poll figures. |
| About a dozen Labour MPs have called for a leadership challenge to Mr Brown - including Scotland Office minister David Cairns who resigned earlier this week. | About a dozen Labour MPs have called for a leadership challenge to Mr Brown - including Scotland Office minister David Cairns who resigned earlier this week. |
| Meanwhile Alastair Campbell, who was Tony Blair's press spokesman in Downing Street, told the BBC that rebel MPs should "stop behaving like commentators, understand that they're in a political battle". | Meanwhile Alastair Campbell, who was Tony Blair's press spokesman in Downing Street, told the BBC that rebel MPs should "stop behaving like commentators, understand that they're in a political battle". |
| "I'm not pretending that with the economy as it is and with global conditions as they are, that that is good for the party of government," he told 5 Live. | "I'm not pretending that with the economy as it is and with global conditions as they are, that that is good for the party of government," he told 5 Live. |
| "But I'd rather have Alistair Darling there, and I'd rather have Gordon Brown there, than Cameron and Osborne, about whom frankly the public know absolutely nothing." | "But I'd rather have Alistair Darling there, and I'd rather have Gordon Brown there, than Cameron and Osborne, about whom frankly the public know absolutely nothing." |
| The debate over Mr Brown's position comes amid continuing reports that some in the cabinet are unhappy with Mr Brown's performance, and as a new opinion poll suggested the Conservative lead was growing. | The debate over Mr Brown's position comes amid continuing reports that some in the cabinet are unhappy with Mr Brown's performance, and as a new opinion poll suggested the Conservative lead was growing. |
| The Ipsos MORI survey put the Tories, among those certain to vote, on 52% - up four on last month - with Labour unchanged on 24% and the Liberal Democrats down four to 12%. | The Ipsos MORI survey put the Tories, among those certain to vote, on 52% - up four on last month - with Labour unchanged on 24% and the Liberal Democrats down four to 12%. |
| Among the public in general - not just those certain to vote - the Conservatives were on 45%, Labour 29% and the Lib Dems on 14%. Ipsos MORI questioned 1,017 British adults between September 12 and 14. | Among the public in general - not just those certain to vote - the Conservatives were on 45%, Labour 29% and the Lib Dems on 14%. Ipsos MORI questioned 1,017 British adults between September 12 and 14. |