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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ministers rally round for Brown | Ministers rally round for Brown |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Ministers have rallied round Gordon Brown, saying the Labour Party has a "responsibility to be united behind our prime minister". | Ministers have rallied round Gordon Brown, saying the Labour Party has a "responsibility to be united behind our prime minister". |
| Health minister Ivan Lewis said "self discipline" was needed after a difficult fortnight for Labour. | Health minister Ivan Lewis said "self discipline" was needed after a difficult fortnight for Labour. |
| Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer has urged Mr Brown to outline his "vision for the future of the UK". | Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer has urged Mr Brown to outline his "vision for the future of the UK". |
| One opinion poll has given the Tories a seven-point lead over Labour, its biggest lead for 15 years. | One opinion poll has given the Tories a seven-point lead over Labour, its biggest lead for 15 years. |
| Mr Lewis said: "We need unity behind our prime minister and we need to remember that we're Labourites, not Blairites or Brownites. | Mr Lewis said: "We need unity behind our prime minister and we need to remember that we're Labourites, not Blairites or Brownites. |
| "We have a responsibility to be united behind our prime minister." | "We have a responsibility to be united behind our prime minister." |
| 'Overwhelming support' | 'Overwhelming support' |
| He said Mr Brown had "overwhelming support in the party." | He said Mr Brown had "overwhelming support in the party." |
| "Every poll says people still prefer him to lead this country - far more superior poll ratings than Cameron, in terms of leadership," he added. | "Every poll says people still prefer him to lead this country - far more superior poll ratings than Cameron, in terms of leadership," he added. |
| Lord Falconer also said if Labour governed only on the basis of past experience, there could be "drift", adding that "renewal does not come from change of leadership alone". | Lord Falconer also said if Labour governed only on the basis of past experience, there could be "drift", adding that "renewal does not come from change of leadership alone". |
| The population of the United Kingdom will be very clear who they want to be their leader and I'm certain it would be Gordon Brown Jim Murphy, Europe minister | The population of the United Kingdom will be very clear who they want to be their leader and I'm certain it would be Gordon Brown Jim Murphy, Europe minister |
| The former chancellor, who left the Cabinet when Tony Blair stood down as prime minister in June, told the Sunday Times: "Making clear our vision is the challenge for the Labour Party now. | The former chancellor, who left the Cabinet when Tony Blair stood down as prime minister in June, told the Sunday Times: "Making clear our vision is the challenge for the Labour Party now. |
| "Because if you rely on experience and our ability to handle crises and do not set out, in the coming months, our vision for the future of the UK... we will be offering drift not leadership, and the past not the future." | "Because if you rely on experience and our ability to handle crises and do not set out, in the coming months, our vision for the future of the UK... we will be offering drift not leadership, and the past not the future." |
| Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said suggestions that supporters of Mr Blair were preparing an onslaught against Mr Brown were "absolutely and categorically untrue". | Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said suggestions that supporters of Mr Blair were preparing an onslaught against Mr Brown were "absolutely and categorically untrue". |
| She told Sky News it was "nothing short of wicked" to suggest that Tony Blair had done any more than "become principally and primarily engaged in trying to achieve peace in the Middle East". | She told Sky News it was "nothing short of wicked" to suggest that Tony Blair had done any more than "become principally and primarily engaged in trying to achieve peace in the Middle East". |
| She said: "More than anything else he wants Gordon Brown to be a successful new Labour prime minister. | She said: "More than anything else he wants Gordon Brown to be a successful new Labour prime minister. |
| "He wants a successful Labour government that because its work is not yet complete in changing this country for the better is re-elected in due course for a fourth term." | "He wants a successful Labour government that because its work is not yet complete in changing this country for the better is re-elected in due course for a fourth term." |
| She said Mr Brown was "absolutely right" to delay calling an election, because people "need longer to get to know him, to lay out the vision for the country before calling an election". | She said Mr Brown was "absolutely right" to delay calling an election, because people "need longer to get to know him, to lay out the vision for the country before calling an election". |
| Rise above | Rise above |
| But shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the "tectonic plates" in politics had "shifted" in favour of the Conservatives. | But shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the "tectonic plates" in politics had "shifted" in favour of the Conservatives. |
| Lord Falconer has been a long-standing staunch ally of Tony Blair | Lord Falconer has been a long-standing staunch ally of Tony Blair |
| The Business Secretary, John Hutton, told BBC One's Andrew Marr show that politics was a "rough trade sometimes". | |
| He added: "What we have got to do is rise above all this brouhaha." | He added: "What we have got to do is rise above all this brouhaha." |
| But he agreed Labour had to show its "vision for the future", adding: "It's a vision thing. That's what people are looking for... We have a very clear vision. | But he agreed Labour had to show its "vision for the future", adding: "It's a vision thing. That's what people are looking for... We have a very clear vision. |
| "New Labour is going to remain in business as a political concern." | "New Labour is going to remain in business as a political concern." |
| Popularity hit | Popularity hit |
| An ICM opinion poll for The Sunday Telegraph puts the Tories on 43%, Labour on 36% and the Liberal Democrats on 14%. | An ICM opinion poll for The Sunday Telegraph puts the Tories on 43%, Labour on 36% and the Liberal Democrats on 14%. |
| The findings were obtained from a random sample of 1,010 adults phoned on 10 and 11 October. | The findings were obtained from a random sample of 1,010 adults phoned on 10 and 11 October. |
| Two weeks ago, during the Labour Party conference, Labour held an 11-point lead over the Tories in some opinion polls. | Two weeks ago, during the Labour Party conference, Labour held an 11-point lead over the Tories in some opinion polls. |