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Prescott rounds on Brown critics Prescott rounds on Brown critics
(about 1 hour later)
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott has hit out at Labour colleagues criticising Gordon Brown, telling them to stop complaining.Former deputy prime minister John Prescott has hit out at Labour colleagues criticising Gordon Brown, telling them to stop complaining.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Prescott said members should get behind the party.Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Prescott said members should get behind the party.
On Friday, former home secretary Charles Clarke - a persistent critic of the PM - said recent events had made him "ashamed" to be a Labour MP.On Friday, former home secretary Charles Clarke - a persistent critic of the PM - said recent events had made him "ashamed" to be a Labour MP.
Mr Prescott is taking to the road this weekend on a campaigning battle bus.Mr Prescott is taking to the road this weekend on a campaigning battle bus.
Mr Clarke's comments had come amid mounting criticism of the prime minister's performance on issues such as Gurkha settlement rights and MPs' expenses, with opposition parties claiming his authority had been fatally underminedMr Clarke's comments had come amid mounting criticism of the prime minister's performance on issues such as Gurkha settlement rights and MPs' expenses, with opposition parties claiming his authority had been fatally undermined
Responding to Mr Clarke's comments, Mr Prescott said: "Charles, if you are ashamed to stay in the party it's obvious what you should do, isn't it?"Responding to Mr Clarke's comments, Mr Prescott said: "Charles, if you are ashamed to stay in the party it's obvious what you should do, isn't it?"
'Get campaigning''Get campaigning'
Dismissing the critics of Mr Brown he said: "They are the same people who crawled out of the woodwork last September, told us they were finished, Gordon should go.Dismissing the critics of Mr Brown he said: "They are the same people who crawled out of the woodwork last September, told us they were finished, Gordon should go.
"Clarke actually did apologise later and said he thought he'd got it wrong."Clarke actually did apologise later and said he thought he'd got it wrong.
"Now he's back at it again. I just say to them, for God's sake stop complaining and get campaigning," he said."Now he's back at it again. I just say to them, for God's sake stop complaining and get campaigning," he said.
BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said it was a clear message for Mr Clarke. BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said it was a clear message from Mr Prescott, who was unimpressed with Charles Clarke's intervention.
"Political opponents of the Labour Party will look on and see these two "big beasts having a go at each other rather than the opposition and they won't be upset by that at all," our correspondent added.
Another former home secretary, David Blunkett, has also warned the government appeared to have lost its "political antennae" and needed to avoid further "self-inflicted wounds".Another former home secretary, David Blunkett, has also warned the government appeared to have lost its "political antennae" and needed to avoid further "self-inflicted wounds".
Mr Prescott said that he had been urging Mr Blunkett to join him on his "Prescott Express" campaigning bus.Mr Prescott said that he had been urging Mr Blunkett to join him on his "Prescott Express" campaigning bus.
"I asked him to come on the campaign and he said he couldn't because he was going to a football match," he said."I asked him to come on the campaign and he said he couldn't because he was going to a football match," he said.
Meanwhile, Lord Ashdown has said senior Labour figures have discussed defecting to the Liberal Democrats if the party loses the next election.Meanwhile, Lord Ashdown has said senior Labour figures have discussed defecting to the Liberal Democrats if the party loses the next election.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the former Lib Dem leader indicated some in Labour were concerned about a lurch to the left in the event of a poll defeat.In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the former Lib Dem leader indicated some in Labour were concerned about a lurch to the left in the event of a poll defeat.
But Labour sources said talk of defections, rather than discontent, was overblown.But Labour sources said talk of defections, rather than discontent, was overblown.