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| Brown 'humbled' by Labour backing | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown says he is "truly humbled" by the overwhelming backing given to him by Labour MPs as their choice to succeed Tony Blair as prime minister. | |
| Mr Brown was supported by so many Labour MPs his only rival could not get enough backers to trigger a contest. | |
| Accepting the nomination Mr Brown said he would seek to "rebuild trust in politics" and promised to lead a government with "new priorities". | |
| Mr Brown is set to take over as prime minister from Mr Blair on 27 June. | |
| He said the scale of his 313 nominations from Labour MPs "shows to the country a party wholly united in its determination not to retreat into the past, but going forward as New Labour". | |
| He added: "I formally accept the nomination, the responsibility it brings and the opportunity to serve the people of Britain." | |
| 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 | 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". |
| The chancellor's campaign manager Jack Straw said he was "delighted" the party had united behind Mr Brown with "such overwhelming support." | The chancellor's campaign manager Jack Straw said he was "delighted" the party had united behind Mr Brown with "such overwhelming support." |
| 'Coronation' | 'Coronation' |
| And Labour's chief whip Jacqui Smith said: "The outcome of the nominations process has, I believe, reflected the views of the Labour Party across the country." | And Labour's chief whip Jacqui Smith said: "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 | 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. | "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." | "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 added: "I congratulate Gordon Brown on his success but I think what we need now is to end this ludicrous situation of having a caretaker government. | Party leader David Cameron added: "I congratulate Gordon Brown on his success but I think what we need now is to end this ludicrous situation of having a caretaker government. |
| "We are going to have weeks of a prime minister on a sort of farewell tour when the government should be getting on with the business of governing the country." | "We are going to have weeks of a prime minister on a sort of farewell tour when the government should be getting on with the business of governing 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. | 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. |