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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| Falconer urges leadership debate | Falconer urges leadership debate |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer has called for an urgent debate on Gordon Brown's leadership, as Labour braces for "terrible" election results. | Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer has called for an urgent debate on Gordon Brown's leadership, as Labour braces for "terrible" election results. |
| The former cabinet minister told the BBC he was "not sure" Labour could unite while Mr Brown remained leader. | The former cabinet minister told the BBC he was "not sure" Labour could unite while Mr Brown remained leader. |
| But Alan Johnson, touted as a possible leader, said: "I don't agree that regicide gives you a unified party." | But Alan Johnson, touted as a possible leader, said: "I don't agree that regicide gives you a unified party." |
| Gordon Brown has been rallying Labour activists in a speech at a meeting in east London. | |
| He opened by joking that although his wife Sarah was not present "she hasn't resigned" - and went on to tell them that the "rock of principle" on which Labour would base itself was one of fairness for all. | |
| He added: "What will people think of a Labour government faced with an economic crisis ... if we walked away from them at a time of need? We are sticking with them and working with them." | |
| And in a nod to a story about a leaked email from Lord Mandelson written in January 2008, describing Mr Brown as "not comfortable in his own skin" said he had not realised the business secretary had become "an expert in emailing and texting". | |
| BBC correspondent Ben Wright said Labour hoped to get the message across that ordinary party members wanted Mr Brown to stay. | BBC correspondent Ben Wright said Labour hoped to get the message across that ordinary party members wanted Mr Brown to stay. |
| In television interviews on Sunday cabinet ministers were defending the prime minister while others called on him to go. | In television interviews on Sunday cabinet ministers were defending the prime minister while others called on him to go. |
| Lord Falconer, who was a close ally of former PM Tony Blair, told BBC One's Politics Show the cabinet was "incredibly strong in terms of personnel" while he claimed the Conservatives "look vulnerable". | Lord Falconer, who was a close ally of former PM Tony Blair, told BBC One's Politics Show the cabinet was "incredibly strong in terms of personnel" while he claimed the Conservatives "look vulnerable". |
| The results are going to be terrible - there's no point beating about the bush on that - terrible for Labour Peter HainWelsh Secretary Stop taking shots at PM, MPs told Flint in fresh attack against PM | The results are going to be terrible - there's no point beating about the bush on that - terrible for Labour Peter HainWelsh Secretary Stop taking shots at PM, MPs told Flint in fresh attack against PM |
| "If we could bring ourselves together we would stand a real chance of making the changes the country needs," he said. | "If we could bring ourselves together we would stand a real chance of making the changes the country needs," he said. |
| "I think we are moving moderately quickly towards the need for a change and that change may be a change in leadership." | "I think we are moving moderately quickly towards the need for a change and that change may be a change in leadership." |
| "We need unity above all. Can we get unity under the current leadership? | "We need unity above all. Can we get unity under the current leadership? |
| "I am not sure that we can and we need to debate it urgently and I think probably it will need a change in leader." | "I am not sure that we can and we need to debate it urgently and I think probably it will need a change in leader." |
| Election results | Election results |
| He said he admired Gordon Brown "greatly" but said he had an "inability to hold the party together". | He said he admired Gordon Brown "greatly" but said he had an "inability to hold the party together". |
| He pointed to James Purnell's resignation as Work and Pensions Secretary and the intervention of previously loyal backbencher Barry Sheerman, who called for a secret ballot of MPs on the leadership. | He pointed to James Purnell's resignation as Work and Pensions Secretary and the intervention of previously loyal backbencher Barry Sheerman, who called for a secret ballot of MPs on the leadership. |
| And the former Labour minister Nick Raynsford told the BBC that if there were no change the next general election could be "disastrous" and Labour reduced to "an ineffective and very small opposition party". | And the former Labour minister Nick Raynsford told the BBC that if there were no change the next general election could be "disastrous" and Labour reduced to "an ineffective and very small opposition party". |
| We have a weakened prime minister and a weakened Cabinet and the country is crying out there for the general election William Hague Leaked Brown e-mail 'not hostile' | We have a weakened prime minister and a weakened Cabinet and the country is crying out there for the general election William Hague Leaked Brown e-mail 'not hostile' |
| Meanwhile, Cabinet Office Minister Tessa Jowell said that Mr Brown would be prepared to step aside if he became convinced that "he personally was an obstacle to Labour's recovery and achievement". | Meanwhile, Cabinet Office Minister Tessa Jowell said that Mr Brown would be prepared to step aside if he became convinced that "he personally was an obstacle to Labour's recovery and achievement". |
| "Gordon Brown loves the Labour party. He is Labour through and through," she told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend. | "Gordon Brown loves the Labour party. He is Labour through and through," she told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend. |
| She said the cabinet had to take some responsibility "for the fact that the government is in a very difficult place at the moment" and said voters hated parties which were "more obsessed by themselves than they are with them". | She said the cabinet had to take some responsibility "for the fact that the government is in a very difficult place at the moment" and said voters hated parties which were "more obsessed by themselves than they are with them". |
| "That team has got to rally round Gordon and build the strength that the evidence of a team and a government working together can do." | "That team has got to rally round Gordon and build the strength that the evidence of a team and a government working together can do." |
| But Conservative frontbencher William Hague called for an immediate general election. | But Conservative frontbencher William Hague called for an immediate general election. |
| He told the BBC: "We have a weakened prime minister and a weakened cabinet and the country is crying out there for the general election so that they can choose the prime minister and the cabinet." | He told the BBC: "We have a weakened prime minister and a weakened cabinet and the country is crying out there for the general election so that they can choose the prime minister and the cabinet." |
| UKIP ranking | UKIP ranking |
| Last week saw the departure of six cabinet ministers from the government and devastating local election results for the Labour Party, which saw it lose control of its four councils and its vote share drop to an historic low of 23%. | Last week saw the departure of six cabinet ministers from the government and devastating local election results for the Labour Party, which saw it lose control of its four councils and its vote share drop to an historic low of 23%. |
| Peter Hain, who returned to the cabinet as Welsh Secretary in Friday's reshuffle, also predicted bad European election results - due out Sunday evening. | Peter Hain, who returned to the cabinet as Welsh Secretary in Friday's reshuffle, also predicted bad European election results - due out Sunday evening. |
| Stop attacking PM, says Mandelson | Stop attacking PM, says Mandelson |
| He told Sky News' Sunday Live: "The results are going to be terrible - there's no point beating about the bush on that - terrible for Labour. | He told Sky News' Sunday Live: "The results are going to be terrible - there's no point beating about the bush on that - terrible for Labour. |
| "And I suspect terrible for all the mainstream parties, as indeed the council elections were." | "And I suspect terrible for all the mainstream parties, as indeed the council elections were." |
| BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said analysts would be looking at whether Labour slipped behind the UK Independence Party in the results. | BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said analysts would be looking at whether Labour slipped behind the UK Independence Party in the results. |
| 'Best man' | |
| The new Home Secretary Alan Johnson - the man widely touted as a possible replacement for Mr Brown - told the BBC he did not agree with Lord Falconer. | The new Home Secretary Alan Johnson - the man widely touted as a possible replacement for Mr Brown - told the BBC he did not agree with Lord Falconer. |
| He added: "I think Gordon Brown is the best man for the job. | He added: "I think Gordon Brown is the best man for the job. |
| Alan Johnson: "I don't agree that regicide gives you a unified party." | |
| "You're never going to get a politician that is absolutely perfect in every respect, Tony Blair wasn't, none of his predecessors have been." | "You're never going to get a politician that is absolutely perfect in every respect, Tony Blair wasn't, none of his predecessors have been." |
| He said Mr Brown was "a man of immense substance" who had "led the world" in dealing with economic problems. | He said Mr Brown was "a man of immense substance" who had "led the world" in dealing with economic problems. |
| "And I believe that he can do that job very very well and can lead us into election and can win that election." | "And I believe that he can do that job very very well and can lead us into election and can win that election." |
| Earlier, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson defended Mr Brown and said Labour could turn things around if it concentrated on policy and sorting out the expenses and economy. | Earlier, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson defended Mr Brown and said Labour could turn things around if it concentrated on policy and sorting out the expenses and economy. |
| He told Mr Brown's Labour critics: "Stop taking shots at the prime minister because you are simply going to make the situation for the party and government even worse." | He told Mr Brown's Labour critics: "Stop taking shots at the prime minister because you are simply going to make the situation for the party and government even worse." |
| He added: "If we get the policy agenda right, and if it's sufficiently bold and decisive then the public will take a different look at us. | He added: "If we get the policy agenda right, and if it's sufficiently bold and decisive then the public will take a different look at us. |
| "At the moment they're being entirely distracted by noises off, by people who are not keeping their nerve." | "At the moment they're being entirely distracted by noises off, by people who are not keeping their nerve." |