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/6664063.stm
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Brown confirmed as Labour leader | Brown confirmed as Labour leader |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown will succeed Tony Blair as Labour leader and prime minister next month without facing a contest, it has been confirmed. | Chancellor Gordon Brown will succeed Tony Blair as Labour leader and prime minister next month without facing a contest, it has been confirmed. |
| Mr Brown won backing from the vast majority of Labour MPs, meaning his only possible rival could not get enough backers to force a contest. | Mr Brown won backing from the vast majority of Labour MPs, meaning his only possible rival could not get enough backers to force a contest. |
| Mr Brown, who was nominated by 313 Labour MPs, is expected to take over from Mr Blair on Wednesday 27 June. | Mr Brown, who was nominated by 313 Labour MPs, is expected to take over from Mr Blair on Wednesday 27 June. |
| All six deputy leadership contenders got enough support to enter the race. | All six deputy leadership contenders got enough support to enter the race. |
| They will now take part in a series of 10 official hustings as they seek to succeed John Prescott as deputy leader. | They will now take part in a series of 10 official hustings as they seek to succeed John Prescott as deputy leader. |
| Opportunity 'denied' | Opportunity 'denied' |
| Mr Brown, who will also take part in those hustings, was nominated by 88% of Labour MPs following three days of canvassing at Westminster. | Mr Brown, who will also take part in those hustings, was nominated by 88% of Labour MPs following three days of canvassing at Westminster. |
| He has long been seen as a virtual certainty to succeed Mr Blair. | He has long been seen as a virtual certainty to succeed Mr Blair. |
| The outcome of the nominations process has, I believe, reflected the views of the Labour Party across the country Jacqui SmithLabour chief whip Analysis: Political limbo? Brown's train trip into history | |
| Numerous possible rivals have dropped out of contention to succeed Mr Blair over recent years. | Numerous possible rivals have dropped out of contention to succeed Mr Blair over recent years. |
| Left-wing Labour MP John McDonnell was the last of those to fall by the wayside - after getting nominations from 29 Labour MPs, short of the 45 needed to trigger a contest. | Left-wing Labour MP John McDonnell was the last of those to fall by the wayside - after getting nominations from 29 Labour MPs, short of the 45 needed to trigger a contest. |
| He withdrew after it became mathematically impossible to reach that figure. He congratulated Mr Brown, but said it was a shame party members would be denied "an opportunity of participating in a democratic election for the leader of this party". | He withdrew after it became mathematically impossible to reach that figure. He congratulated Mr Brown, but said it was a shame party members would be denied "an opportunity of participating in a democratic election for the leader of this party". |
| "I had hoped by standing I would have given them a voice in this crucial decision," he said. | "I had hoped by standing I would have given them a voice in this crucial decision," he said. |
| The chancellor's campaign manager Jack Straw said: "We are delighted that the party is uniting behind Gordon and giving him such overwhelming support." | The chancellor's campaign manager Jack Straw said: "We are delighted that the party is uniting behind Gordon and giving him such overwhelming support." |
| 'Coronation' | 'Coronation' |
| Labour's chief whip Jacqui Smith said: "I am delighted that my fellow Labour MPs have overwhelmingly united around Gordon as the candidate to take Britain forwards when Tony Blair steps down." | Labour's chief whip Jacqui Smith said: "I am delighted that my fellow Labour MPs have overwhelmingly united around Gordon as the candidate to take Britain forwards when Tony Blair steps down." |
| "The outcome of the nominations process has, I believe, reflected the views of the Labour Party across the country." | "The outcome of the nominations process has, I believe, reflected the views of the Labour Party across the country." |
| DEPUTY NOMINATIONS Hilary Benn - 47Hazel Blears - 49 Jon Cruddas - 49Peter Hain - 51Harriet Harman - 65 Alan Johnson - 73 Six race to be Brown's deputy | |
| She added: "Party members will be delighted, as I am, that in around five weeks time Britain's most successful chancellor ever becomes party leader." | She added: "Party members will be delighted, as I am, that in around five weeks time Britain's most successful chancellor ever becomes party leader." |
| But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "As Mr Brown will not face a challenger, it is all the more important that there should be a general election now. | But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "As Mr Brown will not face a challenger, it is all the more important that there should be a general election now. |
| "The country is surely entitled to pass judgement on whether he should become the most powerful politician in the country. | |
| "A coronation is good neither for Labour nor Britain. It is no way to install a prime minister when even his own party doesn't have a choice." | |
| HAVE YOUR SAY We have not had an opportunity to hear his manifesto, let alone debate it M Nickerson, Horndean Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY We have not had an opportunity to hear his manifesto, let alone debate it M Nickerson, Horndean Send us your comments |
| The Conservatives have also called for a general election once Mr Blair goes. | The Conservatives have also called for a general election once Mr Blair goes. |
| Party leader David Cameron has said the prime minister's successor would have no mandate to lead the country | Party leader David Cameron has said the prime minister's successor would have no mandate to lead the country |
| Mr Blair stood for election in 2005 having promised to serve a full third term as prime minister. | Mr Blair stood for election in 2005 having promised to serve a full third term as prime minister. |
| Deputy contenders | Deputy contenders |
| However, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I suspect that when people, when they went to vote in the general election, did not have Tony Blair's departure date at the front of their mind." | However, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I suspect that when people, when they went to vote in the general election, did not have Tony Blair's departure date at the front of their mind." |
| He added: "I think most people think it was a matter of when he went." | He added: "I think most people think it was a matter of when he went." |
| Labour Party chairman Hazel Blears said Mr Brown would be "out and about setting out his vision for the country". | Labour Party chairman Hazel Blears said Mr Brown would be "out and about setting out his vision for the country". |
| Candidates who get 45 or more nominations for either the leadership or the deputy leadership go to a ballot of party members, trade unionists and Labour MPs and European Parliament members. | Candidates who get 45 or more nominations for either the leadership or the deputy leadership go to a ballot of party members, trade unionists and Labour MPs and European Parliament members. |
| The deputy leadership contenders are International Development Secretary Hilary Benn, backbencher Jon Cruddas, Education Secretary Alan Johnson, Justice Minister Harriet Harman, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain and Labour chairman Hazel Blears. |