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Deputy hopefuls make their case Six in race to be Brown's deputy
(about 3 hours later)
The six MPs hoping to be next Labour leader Gordon Brown's deputy have been setting out their credentials at the first hustings of the race. All six hopefuls have gained enough support to enter the race to be Gordon Brown's deputy when he takes over as Labour leader from Tony Blair.
Five already had the 45 nominations needed to get on the ballot. The BBC understands that Hilary Benn, who had been three short, now also has enough. International Development Secretary Hilary Benn was the last to gain the 45 nominations needed.
All six were quizzed by Labour activists on issues from ethnic minority shortlists to grammar schools. The other contenders are Hazel Blears, Peter Hain, Alan Johnson, Harriet Harman and Jon Cruddas.
Current deputy leader John Prescott stands down with Tony Blair on 27 June. The six will now take part in a series of hustings around the UK, starting on Sunday in Coventry.
Mr Brown earlier gained enough support to become leader unopposed, prompting his sole rival to admit defeat. Voting forms will go out to Labour Party members, MEPs and trade unionists from 1 June, with the ballot due to close on Friday, 22 June.
Nominations for the leadership and deputy leadership close at 1230 BST, when Mr Brown is expected to make a statement. The new deputy leader will be unveiled at a special Labour conference on Sunday, 24 June, when Chancellor Gordon Brown is expected to be crowned the party's new leader.
McDonnell concedes Mr Brown will not face a contest after his only rival failed to gain enough nominations to get on to the ballot.
On Wednesday his left wing rival John McDonnell admitted it was "mathematically impossible" for him to gain enough nominations to challenge Mr Brown. 'Listening'
Attention will now shift to the contest to be Mr Brown's deputy. Mr Benn was the last of the six deputy hopefuls to gain the required support from Labour MPs - even though a recent YouGov poll suggested he was the most popular with party activists.
Education Secretary Alan Johnson, Justice Minister Harriet Harman, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, party chairman Hazel Blears and backbencher Jon Cruddas all have more than the required 45 backers. DEPUTY NOMINATIONS Hilary Benn - 47Hazel Blears - 49 Jon Cruddas - 49Peter Hain - 51Harriet Harman - 65 Alan Johnson - 73
Mr Benn, the international development secretary, has 42 listed on the Labour Party website, but the BBC understands he has now reached 45. A spokeswoman for Mr Benn said: "He is really pleased with the strong support he's had across the Parliamentary Labour Party and looking forward to meeting and listening to members over the coming weeks."
At the hustings event on Wednesday evening, each potential candidate made a short speech making their case, before taking a series of questions from the audience. Party chairman Hazel Blears, who came fourth in the race to secure nominations from MPs, with 49, came top in a ballot of party members at a hustings on Thursday, organised by BBC Two's Newsnight.
I think there's a whole section of our party that is very disengaged...unless we bring people back together we will not win." Peter Hain She said: "I'm delighted to be on the ballot paper and to have won the support from members at last night's hustings ballot."
Topics included Iraq, electoral reform, faith schools, women voters and encouraging more people to join trade unions. 'Weekend job'
The six contenders were quizzed by Labour activists at the hustings event, jointly organised by think tanks the Fabian Society and Progress.
Mr Cruddas, the only backbencher in the race, said there was a need to separate the roles of deputy leader and deputy prime minister - both currently held by Mr Prescott.Mr Cruddas, the only backbencher in the race, said there was a need to separate the roles of deputy leader and deputy prime minister - both currently held by Mr Prescott.
He also said he had a "big problem" with the government's flagship city academies, saying areas that refused to have one were being starved of cash.He also said he had a "big problem" with the government's flagship city academies, saying areas that refused to have one were being starved of cash.
'Campaigner in chief'
Ms Blears, who is currently Labour's chairman, stressed her ability to galvanise activists, saying deputy leader was not a "weekend job" and that she intended to be the party's "campaigner in chief"Ms Blears, who is currently Labour's chairman, stressed her ability to galvanise activists, saying deputy leader was not a "weekend job" and that she intended to be the party's "campaigner in chief"
"It's going to be a full-time job to get us to win that next election," she said."It's going to be a full-time job to get us to win that next election," she said.
Ms Harman said, as a woman, from the south of England, she would make a good team with Gordon Brown as leader.Ms Harman said, as a woman, from the south of England, she would make a good team with Gordon Brown as leader.
"We already know the leader is going to be a man. Do we really need another man to be deputy leader? Labour is a party of equality.""We already know the leader is going to be a man. Do we really need another man to be deputy leader? Labour is a party of equality."
DEPUTY CONTEST SUPPORT Hilary Benn - 42Hazel Blears - 49 Jon Cruddas - 46Peter Hain - 50Harriet Harman - 63 Alan Johnson - 70 class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6658307.stm">Benn close to entry class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6660565.stm">Brown on brink of leadership Mr Johnson, who received the most support from Labour MPs, with 73 nominations, said the party needed to turn a fresh, invigorated face towards the public and needed a better dialogue with trade unions.
Mr Johnson, who currently has the most support from Labour MPs, with 70 nominations, said the party needed to turn a fresh, invigorated face towards the public and needed a better dialogue with trade unions.
He said trade unions felt they had been treated like "embarrassing elderly relatives" during Labour's first term. "That has to stop," he said.He said trade unions felt they had been treated like "embarrassing elderly relatives" during Labour's first term. "That has to stop," he said.
And Mr Benn, who is trailing the others and still needs three votes to get onto the ballot paper, said he would like to see an end to "yah boo" politics, which he said turned voters - particularly women - off. Mr Benn said he would like to see an end to "yah boo" politics, which he said turned voters - particularly women - off.
Mr Hain said Labour's biggest challenge was regaining voters' trust and reconnecting with the grass roots of the party.Mr Hain said Labour's biggest challenge was regaining voters' trust and reconnecting with the grass roots of the party.
"I think there's a whole section of our party that is very disengaged... unless we bring people back together we will not win.""I think there's a whole section of our party that is very disengaged... unless we bring people back together we will not win."
The winner of the ballot, decided by party members, trade unionists and MPs and European Parliament members, will be announced on 24 June.