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Left MPs 'unite to target Brown' Left rivals unite to target Brown
(about 1 hour later)
Gordon Brown looks increasingly likely to face a Labour leadership challenge after claims there will only be one left-wing candidate. Gordon Brown looks increasingly likely to face a Labour leadership challenge after it emerged there will only be one left-wing candidate.
Labour MP Michael Meacher and John McDonnell - who had been planning separate bids - have agreed one of them will withdraw, Meacher's camp said. Labour MPs Michael Meacher and John McDonnell - who had been planning separate leadership bids - have agreed one of them will withdraw.
They are expected to meet on the day Mr Blair stands down and compare how much backing they have among Labour MPs. They are expected to meet on the day Tony Blair resigns and compare how much backing they have among Labour MPs.
The one with the fewest nominations will step aside and back the other.The one with the fewest nominations will step aside and back the other.
This will boost the prospect that one or the other can gain the 45 nominations needed to be entered in the ballot. This will boost the prospect that one of them will be able to gain the 45 nominations needed to be entered in the ballot.
Mr Blair is widely tipped to step down within days of 3 May's elections in Scotland, Wales and English local authorities. Mr Blair is widely tipped to step down within days of elections in Scotland, Wales and English local authorities, to be held on 3 May, although there is press speculation he may stand down before polling day.
"It would not make sense to split the left-wing vote," a spokesman for the Meacher campaign told the BBC News website. 'Delighted'
He said Mr Meacher and Mr McDonnell were in talks over which one of them would stand down. The chancellor is the runaway favourite to take over as leader and his campaign group says he already has the support of 217 Labour MPs - more than half of the Parliamentary party.
He dismissed claims in The Guardian newspaper that Mr Meacher had only a handful of supporters among Labour MPs, saying the former environment minister had 24 "signed nominations". But the chances of him facing a contest rose after warring left-wing rivals Mr McDonnell and Mr Meacher agreed to bury the hatchet in a meeting on Thursday evening.
"We are delighted that after weeks of our campaign trying to secure this deal Meacher has finally agreed. We only hope he sticks to it," a spokesman for the McDonnell campaign told the BBC News website.
"The Labour movement now has the prospect of a real contest for the leadership of our party. John McDonnell will have the nominations required to challenge Gordon Brown."
A Meacher spokesman said: "It would not make sense to split the left-wing vote."
There has been little love lost between the rival left-wing contenders, with Mr McDonnell recently branding Mr Meacher "deluded" in his blog.
This followed claims by Mr Meacher, in a letter to the Guardian, that Mr Brown was frightened of a challenge from the former environment secretary.
He claimed a story in the Guardian newspaper - that he had just three supporters - had originated from the Brown camp.
The Meacher spokesman said Mr Meacher had 24 "signed nominations," although he refused to release any names.
He also claimed Mr McDonnell had just 15 nominations - something vigorously denied by the McDonnell campaign.