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| Brown 'right' man for UK - Smith | Brown 'right' man for UK - Smith |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has become the latest cabinet minister to come to Gordon Brown's defence, amid continuing speculation about his leadership. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has become the latest cabinet minister to come to Gordon Brown's defence, amid continuing speculation about his leadership. |
| She said he was "right" for the country and said she expected him to remain PM until - and after - the next election. | She said he was "right" for the country and said she expected him to remain PM until - and after - the next election. |
| Harriet Harman and Alan Johnson backed the PM on Sunday and Monday after being the subject of leadership speculation. | Harriet Harman and Alan Johnson backed the PM on Sunday and Monday after being the subject of leadership speculation. |
| And Hazel Blears stressed her support for him after criticising "lamentable" communication failures by ministers. | And Hazel Blears stressed her support for him after criticising "lamentable" communication failures by ministers. |
| In a round of interviews with the BBC and other broadcasters before the weekly cabinet meeting, Ms Smith said the prime minister was focusing on the issues she said were important to Britain - the swine flu outbreak and the economy. | |
| 'Stark contrast' | 'Stark contrast' |
| She said she expected Mr Brown to be prime minister when the general election was called - due by next June - adding: "I hope he will be. I think it's the right thing for this country if he is. And I expect him and I want him to be prime minister after that election." | |
| Mr Brown was the "sort of politician that we need leading our country" at a time of economic crisis - "helping people through difficult times and building for the future as well". | Mr Brown was the "sort of politician that we need leading our country" at a time of economic crisis - "helping people through difficult times and building for the future as well". |
| I don't want to be prime minister and I don't want to be leader of the party Harriet Harman Harman: 'I don't want to be PM' Analysis: Elections may ease woes Analysis: What is Blears up to? | I don't want to be prime minister and I don't want to be leader of the party Harriet Harman Harman: 'I don't want to be PM' Analysis: Elections may ease woes Analysis: What is Blears up to? |
| She said his actions were in "stark contrast ... to an opposition that has a do nothing approach". | She said his actions were in "stark contrast ... to an opposition that has a do nothing approach". |
| Meanwhile the prime minister's spokesman has said he retains full confidence in Hazel Blears, who, he said, was "horrified" at suggestions that her article had been an attack on Mr Brown. | |
| The No 10 spokesman added: "The prime minister is satisfied that the cabinet is supporting the agenda he is setting out, that they are working together, that the cabinet is coming together to deal with the big issues facing the country." | |
| At the launch of the Conservatives' local election campaign on North Tyneside, Mr Cameron said the government now had a "time horizon". | |
| He said: "They will be trying to get through the next few days, the next weeks, trying not to fall apart and that is not good for the country." | |
| He added: "People feel frustrated, people have to put up with a divided, weak, disorientated government." | |
| It follows a difficult week for Mr Brown, in which he had to drop a key proposal for expenses reform amid widespread opposition and suffered a surprise defeat in the Commons on the issue of Gurkhas' settlement rights. | It follows a difficult week for Mr Brown, in which he had to drop a key proposal for expenses reform amid widespread opposition and suffered a surprise defeat in the Commons on the issue of Gurkhas' settlement rights. |
| 'No aspiration' | |
| That prompted much speculation about his leadership in newspaper articles over the weekend. | That prompted much speculation about his leadership in newspaper articles over the weekend. |
| Ms Blears' article in the Observer raised eyebrows when, two weeks after the prime minister's video on the Downing Street and YouTube websites, she wrote: "Promote your message via YouTube if you want to. But it is no substitute for knocking on doors or setting up a stall in the town centre." | Ms Blears' article in the Observer raised eyebrows when, two weeks after the prime minister's video on the Downing Street and YouTube websites, she wrote: "Promote your message via YouTube if you want to. But it is no substitute for knocking on doors or setting up a stall in the town centre." |
| She also said all ministers had "a collective responsibility for the government's lamentable failure to get our message across". | She also said all ministers had "a collective responsibility for the government's lamentable failure to get our message across". |
| However she went on to issue a statement saying that any suggestion she was criticising Mr Brown's leadership was "completely wrong". | However she went on to issue a statement saying that any suggestion she was criticising Mr Brown's leadership was "completely wrong". |
| Harriet Harman: I will never be the leader of the Labour party | |
| Mr Brown's deputy Harriet Harman, who has repeatedly found herself at the centre of leadership speculation, told the BBC: "I don't want to be prime minister and I don't want to be leader of the party." | Mr Brown's deputy Harriet Harman, who has repeatedly found herself at the centre of leadership speculation, told the BBC: "I don't want to be prime minister and I don't want to be leader of the party." |
| It followed a Daily Telegraph story claiming she had said she would stand, if Mr Brown was forced out. | It followed a Daily Telegraph story claiming she had said she would stand, if Mr Brown was forced out. |
| But Ms Harman said: "My ambition is to remain his loyal and supportive deputy." | But Ms Harman said: "My ambition is to remain his loyal and supportive deputy." |
| There were also stories that Labour backbenchers wanted Alan Johnson to replace Mr Brown. | There were also stories that Labour backbenchers wanted Alan Johnson to replace Mr Brown. |
| But the health secretary told the BBC he had no "aspiration" to be party leader and said he believed Mr Brown was "a man for these times" who was doing a better job "than I could do it or anyone else". | But the health secretary told the BBC he had no "aspiration" to be party leader and said he believed Mr Brown was "a man for these times" who was doing a better job "than I could do it or anyone else". |