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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Brown offers challenge to critics | Brown offers challenge to critics |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Gordon Brown has challenged his political opponents by declaring he would welcome a Labour leadership contest after Tony Blair stands down. | Gordon Brown has challenged his political opponents by declaring he would welcome a Labour leadership contest after Tony Blair stands down. |
| The chancellor also told the News of the World newspaper it was "absolute nonsense" to suggest he was behind calls for Mr Blair to quit. | The chancellor also told the News of the World newspaper it was "absolute nonsense" to suggest he was behind calls for Mr Blair to quit. |
| The prime minister's likely successor had earlier been criticised by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke. | The prime minister's likely successor had earlier been criticised by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke. |
| Mr Blair said Labour risks electoral defeat if in-fighting continues. | Mr Blair said Labour risks electoral defeat if in-fighting continues. |
| I am happy for there to be a leadership contest - I think there should be Gordon Brown | I am happy for there to be a leadership contest - I think there should be Gordon Brown |
| The prime minister faced further questions about his leadership on a trip to Israel for talks on Middle East peace. | The prime minister faced further questions about his leadership on a trip to Israel for talks on Middle East peace. |
| In a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart, Mr Blair repeated a call he wanted an end to personal attacks in his party. | In a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart, Mr Blair repeated a call he wanted an end to personal attacks in his party. |
| Meanwhile, speaking for the first time since the turmoil surrounding the Labour leadership began, Mr Brown said: "I am happy for there to be a leadership contest. I think there should be." | Meanwhile, speaking for the first time since the turmoil surrounding the Labour leadership began, Mr Brown said: "I am happy for there to be a leadership contest. I think there should be." |
| "This is not a time for deals, this is not a time for private statements," he added, although he conceded that "there is an issue, obviously, when a prime minister says that he is not going to contest the next election". | "This is not a time for deals, this is not a time for private statements," he added, although he conceded that "there is an issue, obviously, when a prime minister says that he is not going to contest the next election". |
| His comments come after Mr Clarke accused him of being a "control freak" who lacked the courage to take tough decisions. | His comments come after Mr Clarke accused him of being a "control freak" who lacked the courage to take tough decisions. |
| Mr Brown rebuffed the criticisms, insisting: "I am a team player." | Mr Brown rebuffed the criticisms, insisting: "I am a team player." |
| 'Personal tension' | 'Personal tension' |
| He also denied claims he sees himself as the prime minister's anointed successor and believes he should assume the leadership in an unopposed "coronation". | He also denied claims he sees himself as the prime minister's anointed successor and believes he should assume the leadership in an unopposed "coronation". |
| And, rejecting suggestions he encouraged a rebel letter that sought to undermine Mr Blair, the chancellor went on: "I made it very clear to people all week, privately, that Tony should make his own decision and we should support that decision. | And, rejecting suggestions he encouraged a rebel letter that sought to undermine Mr Blair, the chancellor went on: "I made it very clear to people all week, privately, that Tony should make his own decision and we should support that decision. |
| "Any suggestion that I or those acting for me were directly involved in this is absolute nonsense." | "Any suggestion that I or those acting for me were directly involved in this is absolute nonsense." |
| The chancellor also said the idea that "personal tension" between himself and the prime minister prompted an argument when they met at Downing Street on Wednesday was "completely wrong". | The chancellor also said the idea that "personal tension" between himself and the prime minister prompted an argument when they met at Downing Street on Wednesday was "completely wrong". |
| Mr Brown will restate his readiness for a leadership contest and determination to lead a "government of all the talents" in a pre-recorded interview with BBC One's Sunday AM programme. | Mr Brown will restate his readiness for a leadership contest and determination to lead a "government of all the talents" in a pre-recorded interview with BBC One's Sunday AM programme. |
| Blair's plea | Blair's plea |
| Speaking in the interview with Andrew Marr, which was recorded on Saturday, he said he was not aware of the letter by Labour MPs calling for Mr Blair to stand down before it was made public and would have said it was "ill advised" if he had been consulted about the letter. | Speaking in the interview with Andrew Marr, which was recorded on Saturday, he said he was not aware of the letter by Labour MPs calling for Mr Blair to stand down before it was made public and would have said it was "ill advised" if he had been consulted about the letter. |
| He denied he was among those who want to tell the prime minister when he should stand down. | He denied he was among those who want to tell the prime minister when he should stand down. |
| Meanwhile, Peter Hain - secretary of state for Northern Ireland and Wales - has said anyone who hopes to defeat Mr Brown in a leadership contest faced a "forlorn mission". | |
| "In my view I don't think anyone else could or should beat Gordon," he told the Independent on Sunday. | |
| On Saturday, Mr Blair made a keynote speech at the 10th anniversary conference of a New Labour think tank, the Progress Organisation, in central London. | On Saturday, Mr Blair made a keynote speech at the 10th anniversary conference of a New Labour think tank, the Progress Organisation, in central London. |
| He said: "We can either - after the kind of spasm of last week retreat into personal attacks... or we can say we are going in a mature, intelligent, and capable way to describe to the country what we've done." | He said: "We can either - after the kind of spasm of last week retreat into personal attacks... or we can say we are going in a mature, intelligent, and capable way to describe to the country what we've done." |