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| Big names back beleaguered Brown | Big names back beleaguered Brown |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Senior Labour figures have rallied around Gordon Brown following the party's crushing defeat in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election. | |
| Health Secretary Alan Johnson told the BBC there was "absolutely no appetite within the party to change the leader". | |
| Former deputy PM John Prescott said Labour was going through a "bumpy ride", but suggestions that Mr Brown should step down were "nonsense". | Former deputy PM John Prescott said Labour was going through a "bumpy ride", but suggestions that Mr Brown should step down were "nonsense". |
| "Basically he knows what needs to be done. It's still the economy", he said. | "Basically he knows what needs to be done. It's still the economy", he said. |
| Mr Prescott's comments were echoed by International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander who told the BBC he did not think there was "anybody better qualified" to be prime minister. | Mr Prescott's comments were echoed by International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander who told the BBC he did not think there was "anybody better qualified" to be prime minister. |
| Speculation over the prime minister's future has followed poor local election results and the Crewe by-election loss. | Speculation over the prime minister's future has followed poor local election results and the Crewe by-election loss. |
| 'Courage and ideas' | 'Courage and ideas' |
| Mr Johnson has been tipped as a possible successor to Mr Brown, but when asked if there was a chance he would lead Labour into the next general election replied: "None whatsoever, absolutely none". | Mr Johnson has been tipped as a possible successor to Mr Brown, but when asked if there was a chance he would lead Labour into the next general election replied: "None whatsoever, absolutely none". |
| "The whole issue of the leadership is settled," he said. "There is absolutely no appetite, I believe, in the party to change leader. This is a man that's made a major contribution to a decade of prosperity John PrescottFormer deputy PM | "The whole issue of the leadership is settled," he said. "There is absolutely no appetite, I believe, in the party to change leader. This is a man that's made a major contribution to a decade of prosperity John PrescottFormer deputy PM |
| "Gordon Brown was the towering figure a year ago and is the towering figure in the party now." | "Gordon Brown was the towering figure a year ago and is the towering figure in the party now." |
| Asked about the economic challenges Britain faces, he said: "I think Gordon has the strength, the courage, the ideas to actually deal with these issues." | Asked about the economic challenges Britain faces, he said: "I think Gordon has the strength, the courage, the ideas to actually deal with these issues." |
| The bookies' favourite to replace Mr Brown is Foreign Secretary David Miliband. | The bookies' favourite to replace Mr Brown is Foreign Secretary David Miliband. |
| But Mr Johnson dismissed the idea that Mr Miliband was making plans to mount a challenge. "I'm absolutely sure that he's not manoeuvring," he said. | But Mr Johnson dismissed the idea that Mr Miliband was making plans to mount a challenge. "I'm absolutely sure that he's not manoeuvring," he said. |
| Mr Johnson also dismissed suggestions Mr Brown could ask him to become deputy prime minister: "I'd say no, but it's not going to happen." | Mr Johnson also dismissed suggestions Mr Brown could ask him to become deputy prime minister: "I'd say no, but it's not going to happen." |
| Mr Prescott has been vocal in his defence of the prime minister, despite saying in his autobiography that he was at times difficult to work with. | Mr Prescott has been vocal in his defence of the prime minister, despite saying in his autobiography that he was at times difficult to work with. |
| He told the BBC: "There's not been a better chancellor than this man. | He told the BBC: "There's not been a better chancellor than this man. |
| "This is a serious man. This is a man that's made a major contribution to a decade of prosperity." | "This is a serious man. This is a man that's made a major contribution to a decade of prosperity." |
| He said his message to Mr Brown would be: "Stick to your values, stick to your policies, but get it across to people. You're the best man for the job." He's the right man for the times, he's got the values that people will believe in Ed MilibandCabinet Office Minister | |
| Mr Prescott also said the process of choosing a new Labour leader would be very damaging for the party. | |
| "If you looked at the mechanics of the replacement, in fact you've got to go through a process. That would be deadly for us." | |
| 'Vital challenges' | 'Vital challenges' |
| Earlier, Mr Alexander said the government was facing three big challenges. | |
| "First of all, we need to keep the economy moving forward. Secondly, we need to help hard-working families cope with rising food, fuel and other bills. And thirdly we need to make sure we continue to improve schools and hospitals. | "First of all, we need to keep the economy moving forward. Secondly, we need to help hard-working families cope with rising food, fuel and other bills. And thirdly we need to make sure we continue to improve schools and hospitals. |
| "I don't think there's anybody better qualified in terms of the experience he brings to the job of prime minister than Gordon Brown to take forward those three vital challenges." | "I don't think there's anybody better qualified in terms of the experience he brings to the job of prime minister than Gordon Brown to take forward those three vital challenges." |
| Cabinet Office Minister Ed Miliband told GMTV on Sunday he was certain Mr Brown would be leading the party at the next election.Alan Johnson said the issue of leadership was "settled" | |
| "He's the right man for the times, he's got the values that people will believe in," Mr Miliband said. | "He's the right man for the times, he's got the values that people will believe in," Mr Miliband said. |
| "And when it comes to the choice at the general election, when it comes to people seeing what David Cameron stands for - on health, where he doesn't support our extending of opening times for GPs. | "And when it comes to the choice at the general election, when it comes to people seeing what David Cameron stands for - on health, where he doesn't support our extending of opening times for GPs. |
| "In education, where he doesn't support the expansion of educational opportunity, and on public spending and tax, where he wants large tax cuts for the few - people will see that Gordon Brown and the Labour party are the right people to take this country forward." | "In education, where he doesn't support the expansion of educational opportunity, and on public spending and tax, where he wants large tax cuts for the few - people will see that Gordon Brown and the Labour party are the right people to take this country forward." |
| Some backbenchers have blamed Mr Brown for Labour's recent troubles. | |
| One MP, Graham Stringer, said the party needed a new leader to save it from "disaster" at the next election. | |
| Another, Alan Simpson, said Mr Brown had until the end of the year to "turn things round". | |
| Other Labour figures have said the prime minister must change in order to survive. | |
| Former deputy leadership candidate Jon Cruddas told the Independent on Sunday that the results had given Mr Brown his "final wake-up call". | |
| And senior Labour peer Lord Desai said the party's only hope of winning the next general election was a "changed, improved" Gordon Brown. |