This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/6606481.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brown 'won't face serious fight' | Brown 'won't face serious fight' |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| It appears unlikely that Gordon Brown will face a major contest for the Labour leadership when Tony Blair steps down, Tessa Jowell has said. | |
| He will take over without a challenge from a senior minister, the culture secretary predicted in a speech. | |
| Home secretary John Reid said on Sunday Labour would not be fractured after Mr Blair goes - remarks that commentators are saying indicate he will not stand. | Home secretary John Reid said on Sunday Labour would not be fractured after Mr Blair goes - remarks that commentators are saying indicate he will not stand. |
| Any contest is likely to be between Mr Brown and one of two left-wing MPs. | Any contest is likely to be between Mr Brown and one of two left-wing MPs. |
| When asked about the leadership contest on Sunday, Mr Reid said there would be unity in the Labour Party, up to and beyond this week's local elections. | When asked about the leadership contest on Sunday, Mr Reid said there would be unity in the Labour Party, up to and beyond this week's local elections. |
| While not completely ruling out a leadership bid, Mr Reid said the Labour Party would not be "fractured" once the prime minister resigned and there would be "a coming together of the Labour leadership". | While not completely ruling out a leadership bid, Mr Reid said the Labour Party would not be "fractured" once the prime minister resigned and there would be "a coming together of the Labour leadership". |
| 'Tribalism' | 'Tribalism' |
| He told BBC One's Sunday AM programme: "The election that matters to me is the election which places before the British people the choice between Conservatives and Labour." | He told BBC One's Sunday AM programme: "The election that matters to me is the election which places before the British people the choice between Conservatives and Labour." |
| Ms Jowell echoed those comments in a speech in London on Monday, saying it was time to bring an end to "tribalism" within New Labour, with no more so-called Blairites and Brownites. | |
| She said: "I believe we should use this leadership change to open up a wider conversation with the people of Britain. | |
| "But if we want them to listen to us, really listen to us, then we have to make some changes ourselves. | |
| "We have to bring an end to tribalism in New Labour. So no more Blairites and Brownites. | |
| "Too much of our present political approach - too much of our conversation and argument - has been focussed on personalities and a debate in code that reinforces that tribalism - leaving people in the real world, beyond Westminster, with no idea what's going on at times. | |
| "We have to break the codes that have characterised our language in the past few months." | |
| If there is only a challenge from a left-wing candidate, Tony Blair is expected to come out in support of Gordon Brown once the contest to replace him gets under way. | If there is only a challenge from a left-wing candidate, Tony Blair is expected to come out in support of Gordon Brown once the contest to replace him gets under way. |
| Last week Labour MPs Michael Meacher and John McDonnell - who had been planning separate leadership challenges - announced they were uniting in their bid to target Mr Brown. | Last week Labour MPs Michael Meacher and John McDonnell - who had been planning separate leadership challenges - announced they were uniting in their bid to target Mr Brown. |
| They agreed one of them would withdraw, depending on the level of backing they had when Mr Blair steps down. | They agreed one of them would withdraw, depending on the level of backing they had when Mr Blair steps down. |