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| Brown to set out reform proposals | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown will make a statement to MPs on Wednesday about his plans to reform Parliament in the wake of the expenses scandal. | |
| He will unveil plans for an independent body to police MPs' expenses, a legally binding MPs' code of conduct and plans to strengthen Commons committees. | |
| Earlier the new cabinet met for the first time after a week of speculation about Mr Brown's future as leader. | |
| It follows disastrous election results and several resignations by ministers. | |
| He is also expected to address the issues of House of Lords Reform and electoral reform in the statement to MPs. | |
| 'Gentlemen's club' | |
| Widespread coverage of the MPs' expenses scandal has been blamed in part for Labour's poor electoral performance - which saw its vote share slip to 15% in the European elections. | |
| Mr Brown has already pledged to end the "gentlemen's club" at Westminster - in which MPs set the rules which govern their own pay and allowances. | |
| The reform proposals form part of a number of policy initiatives by Mr Brown as he seeks to reinvigorate his government and move on from questions about his future. | |
| Six cabinet ministers have resigned in the past week and there has been open dissent from backbench MPs but Mr Brown appears to have seen off any threat to his position after he addressed a meeting of Labour MPs and peers on Monday night. | |
| Although several MPs told him he should quit, others cheered and banged desks in support of Mr Brown. | |
| James Purnell says he hopes to be proved wrong about Gordon Brown | James Purnell says he hopes to be proved wrong about Gordon Brown |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the BBC: "The Parliamentary Labour Party has reached a settled view about the leadership. The Labour Party does not want a new leader. There is no vacancy. There is no challenger. | |
| "The leading candidate Alan Johnson has said he is backing the prime minister to the hilt." | "The leading candidate Alan Johnson has said he is backing the prime minister to the hilt." |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the positions of Mr Johnson, Mr Miliband and Chancellor Alistair Darling had been strengthened within cabinet during the last week. He said they could in future turn to him privately and tell him to go, if things did not improve. | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the positions of Mr Johnson, Mr Miliband and Chancellor Alistair Darling had been strengthened within cabinet during the last week. He said they could in future turn to him privately and tell him to go, if things did not improve. |
| Asked about the surprise resignation of James Purnell as work and pensions secretary on Thursday - in which he called on Gordon Brown to stand aside - Mr Miliband said: "James in the end felt he had a responsibility to resign, I felt we had a responsibility to work inside the government for its renewal." | Asked about the surprise resignation of James Purnell as work and pensions secretary on Thursday - in which he called on Gordon Brown to stand aside - Mr Miliband said: "James in the end felt he had a responsibility to resign, I felt we had a responsibility to work inside the government for its renewal." |
| 'Stand aside' | 'Stand aside' |
| Meanwhile Mr Purnell has told the BBC he did not regret his "very personal" decision. | Meanwhile Mr Purnell has told the BBC he did not regret his "very personal" decision. |
| "I just knew I couldn't wake up on Friday and say something which I didn't think was the case. | "I just knew I couldn't wake up on Friday and say something which I didn't think was the case. |
| "I said what I said, I stand by it, of course I can be happy if I turn out to be proven wrong and Gordon Brown leads the Labour Party to victory at the next election. | "I said what I said, I stand by it, of course I can be happy if I turn out to be proven wrong and Gordon Brown leads the Labour Party to victory at the next election. |
| He can't seem to reshuffle his cabinet but they can't seem to organise a coup Conservative leader David Cameron on Gordon Brown Byers joins calls for PM to quit UKIP beats Labour to second place | He can't seem to reshuffle his cabinet but they can't seem to organise a coup Conservative leader David Cameron on Gordon Brown Byers joins calls for PM to quit UKIP beats Labour to second place |
| "I've got complete respect for people who stayed in the government who believe that's the right thing to do." | "I've got complete respect for people who stayed in the government who believe that's the right thing to do." |
| Mr Brown has come under fire for his style of leadership over recent days, including being accused of using women ministers as "female window dressing" and of sidelining the Parliamentary Labour Party. | Mr Brown has come under fire for his style of leadership over recent days, including being accused of using women ministers as "female window dressing" and of sidelining the Parliamentary Labour Party. |
| Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw told the BBC Mr Brown appeared to understand he needed "to behave in a more collegiate way... I think he's acknowledged that the style of leadership needs to change". | Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw told the BBC Mr Brown appeared to understand he needed "to behave in a more collegiate way... I think he's acknowledged that the style of leadership needs to change". |
| "I think he's acknowledged that the way that Number 10 has been operating has not been in the interests of him or the Labour government." | "I think he's acknowledged that the way that Number 10 has been operating has not been in the interests of him or the Labour government." |
| 'Closer engagement' | 'Closer engagement' |
| Labour MP John McFall, chairman of the Commons treasury committee, agreed there was "a lot of frustration" among MPs who felt alienated by the "hierarchical" system within the party. | Labour MP John McFall, chairman of the Commons treasury committee, agreed there was "a lot of frustration" among MPs who felt alienated by the "hierarchical" system within the party. |
| "There must be much closer engagement there and the prime minister said he will do that," he added. | "There must be much closer engagement there and the prime minister said he will do that," he added. |
| It is expected that a long-promised inquiry into the Iraq war will be brought forward and there may be some concessions on plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail, a policy opposed by many Labour MPs. | It is expected that a long-promised inquiry into the Iraq war will be brought forward and there may be some concessions on plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail, a policy opposed by many Labour MPs. |
| Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw says Brown is in a stronger position now | Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw says Brown is in a stronger position now |
| Environment minister Jane Kennedy became the latest minister to resign from her post on Monday ahead of the meeting, saying she could not support Mr Brown as leader and was unhappy "about briefings against individuals, leaks, smears". | Environment minister Jane Kennedy became the latest minister to resign from her post on Monday ahead of the meeting, saying she could not support Mr Brown as leader and was unhappy "about briefings against individuals, leaks, smears". |
| Ex-minister Stephen Byers also joined those saying the PM should go. | Ex-minister Stephen Byers also joined those saying the PM should go. |
| During Monday's PLP meeting Charles Clarke, a former home secretary and MPs Fiona McTaggart, Tom Harris and Siobhan McDonagh told Mr Brown he should quit but others said it was overwhelmingly supportive of the prime minister. | During Monday's PLP meeting Charles Clarke, a former home secretary and MPs Fiona McTaggart, Tom Harris and Siobhan McDonagh told Mr Brown he should quit but others said it was overwhelmingly supportive of the prime minister. |
| 'Clear fact' | 'Clear fact' |
| Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party Tony Lloyd told the BBC: "I know journalists are always looking for the next sensation, the next story, dare I say the next bit of bad news? | Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party Tony Lloyd told the BBC: "I know journalists are always looking for the next sensation, the next story, dare I say the next bit of bad news? |
| "You are not going to get the bad news about this - about Gordon Brown going. Gordon Brown is the prime minister, he will lead the Labour Party into the next general election... I can state that as a clear fact. " | "You are not going to get the bad news about this - about Gordon Brown going. Gordon Brown is the prime minister, he will lead the Labour Party into the next general election... I can state that as a clear fact. " |
| Conservative leader David Cameron said Mr Brown and his critics were locked in "a slow dance of political death". | Conservative leader David Cameron said Mr Brown and his critics were locked in "a slow dance of political death". |
| "He can't seem to reshuffle his cabinet but they can't seem to organise a coup," he said. | "He can't seem to reshuffle his cabinet but they can't seem to organise a coup," he said. |
| A ComRes survey for the Independent suggests Alan Johnson would cut Mr Cameron's advantage if the new home secretary were to become Labour leader. | A ComRes survey for the Independent suggests Alan Johnson would cut Mr Cameron's advantage if the new home secretary were to become Labour leader. |
| It said the Tories would lead by 38% to 22% with Mr Brown at Downing Street, but with Mr Johnson at the helm Labour's support would rise to 26% and backing for David Cameron would fall to 36% - enough to deny the Conservatives an overall majority. | It said the Tories would lead by 38% to 22% with Mr Brown at Downing Street, but with Mr Johnson at the helm Labour's support would rise to 26% and backing for David Cameron would fall to 36% - enough to deny the Conservatives an overall majority. |