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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Left rivals unite to target Brown | Left rivals unite to target Brown |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Gordon Brown looks increasingly likely to face a Labour leadership challenge after it emerged 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 MPs Michael Meacher and John McDonnell - who had been planning separate leadership bids - have agreed one of them will withdraw. | 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 Tony Blair resigns 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 fewer nominations will step aside and back the other. | |
| This will boost the prospect that one of them will be able to 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 elections in Scotland, Wales and English local authorities, to be held on 3 May. | 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. |
| Downing Street has denied press reports Mr Blair will stand down before polling day. | |
| 'Delighted' | 'Delighted' |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown is the runaway favourite to take over as leader and his campaign says he already has the support of 217 Labour MPs - more than half of the Parliamentary party. | Chancellor Gordon Brown is the runaway favourite to take over as leader and his campaign says he already has the support of 217 Labour MPs - more than half of the Parliamentary party. |
| 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. | 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. | "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." | "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." | 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. | There has been little love lost between the rival left-wing contenders, with Mr McDonnell recently branding Mr Meacher "deluded" in his blog. |
| Nominations | Nominations |
| 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. | 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. | He claimed a story in the Guardian newspaper - that he had just three supporters - had originated from the Brown camp. |
| The Meacher campaign said their man had 24 "signed nominations," although it refused to release any names. | The Meacher campaign said their man had 24 "signed nominations," although it refused to release any names. |
| A spokesman also claimed Mr McDonnell had just 15 nominations - something vigorously denied by the McDonnell camp, which insists it has enough support to get on to the ballot. | A spokesman also claimed Mr McDonnell had just 15 nominations - something vigorously denied by the McDonnell camp, which insists it has enough support to get on to the ballot. |
| Mr McDonnell, champion of the left wing Campaign Group of MPs, has been drumming up support for a leadership bid since last summer. Mr Meacher entered the race in February. | Mr McDonnell, champion of the left wing Campaign Group of MPs, has been drumming up support for a leadership bid since last summer. Mr Meacher entered the race in February. |
| The prospect of a Cabinet-level challenge to Mr Brown has all but disappeared after Environment Secretary David Miliband insisted he was "not a candidate," although Home Secretary John Reid has not ruled out a bid. | The prospect of a Cabinet-level challenge to Mr Brown has all but disappeared after Environment Secretary David Miliband insisted he was "not a candidate," although Home Secretary John Reid has not ruled out a bid. |
| There is also speculation a challenge from the left might flush out a Blairite contender, such as former home secretary Charles Clarke, raising the prospect of a three-way contest for the leadership. | There is also speculation a challenge from the left might flush out a Blairite contender, such as former home secretary Charles Clarke, raising the prospect of a three-way contest for the leadership. |