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Vice chair sacked in Labour row Vice chair sacked in Labour row
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An MP has been sacked as Labour's vice chair after publicly joining calls for a leadership election.An MP has been sacked as Labour's vice chair after publicly joining calls for a leadership election.
Joan Ryan was also removed as Gordon Brown's envoy to Cyprus, as he faces increasing pressure from Labour ranks. Joan Ryan and four other Labour MPs - Fiona Mactaggart, Siobhain McDonagh, George Howarth and Janet Anderson - have asked for nomination forms.
Five Labour MPs - Fiona Mactaggart, Siobhain McDonagh, George Howarth, Janet Anderson and Ms Ryan - want leadership nomination forms sent out.
And fellow MPs Graham Stringer and Gordon Prentice have publicly called for a leadership contest.And fellow MPs Graham Stringer and Gordon Prentice have publicly called for a leadership contest.
On Friday, junior whip Siobhain McDonagh was fired for calling for a debate on Gordon Brown's leadership. However, 71 MPs would have to nominate a challenger to Mr Brown to force a leadership contest.
Seventy MPs would have to nominate a challenger to Gordon Brown to force a leadership contest. We need a multiplicity of candidates, that's a healthy thing to do - it's happening anyway, but it's happening behind closed doors Joan Ryan MP The Labour Party has said nine have so far asked for nomination papers to be issued to all members of the parliamentary party.
The Labour Party has told BBC political editor Nick Robinson that nine had so far asked for nomination papers to be issued to all members of the parliamentary party.
But the party's general secretary Ray Collins has rejected the MPs' call - saying that under party rules he is not required to issue the forms to all MPs.
The party's annual conference starts in Manchester next weekend.
Former Home Office minister Mr Howarth - who has also signed a magazine article calling on the party to be "bold" - told the BBC he had made his request for nomination papers to be sent out roughly two weeks ago.
Ms Mactaggart said she made her request for the papers to be sent out at the end of August.
'No plot'
Several more Labour MPs are expected to air their views in the next few days.Several more Labour MPs are expected to air their views in the next few days.
Ms Ryan - MP for Enfield North and a former Home Office minister - said a leadership contest was essential to meeting the needs of the country. Ministers say it is not the time for a challenge to Gordon Brown - nor for a public debate about the future of the party.
"I think we need to have a leadership election to trigger a deep and far-reaching debate and those people in our party who have something to offer and are capable of leadership need to put themselves forward," she said. SEVEN IN LEADERSHIP CALL Fiona Mactaggart - elected 1997, responsibility for the criminal justice system until 2006Graham Stringer - elected 1997, first to call for Gordon Brown to resignJoan Ryan - elected 1997, parliamentary under-secretary at Home Office 2006-07George Howarth - elected 1986, parliamentary roles at Home Office and Northern Ireland, member Privvy Council since 2005 Siobhain McDonagh - elected 1997, ex-PPS to John Reid, and junior whip 2007-08 Gordon Prentice - elected 1992, did not endorse Gordon Brown as party leaderJanet Anderson - elected 1992, former junior whip and ex-under secretary at culture department 'No plot'
Ms Ryan, MP for Enfield North and a former Home Office minister, has also been sacked as Mr Brown's Cyprus envoy - a position she was given when he entered Number 10 in June last year.
I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick Robinson's blog
She earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme a leadership contest was essential to meeting the needs of the country.
"I think we need to have a leadership election to trigger a deep and far-reaching debate and those people in our party who have something to offer and are capable of leadership need to put themselves forward," she said.
"We need a multiplicity of candidates. That's a healthy thing to do and that's part of the democracy of our party. It's happening anyway, but it's happening behind closed doors.""We need a multiplicity of candidates. That's a healthy thing to do and that's part of the democracy of our party. It's happening anyway, but it's happening behind closed doors."
Ms Ryan was made Mr Brown's Cyprus envoy when he entered Number 10 in June last year. Earlier this month she took part in negotiations alongside Europe minister Jim Murphy over reunifying the island. She said she was not part of a plot.
She told the Today programme she was not part of a plot.
"I know there's a lot of people feel the same way and I know they find it very difficult to openly raise this issue," she said."I know there's a lot of people feel the same way and I know they find it very difficult to openly raise this issue," she said.
"I find it very hard. I'm a loyalist to my government. But I actually feel now this is the most responsible thing I can do and I would be irresponsible if I didn't now speak up.""I find it very hard. I'm a loyalist to my government. But I actually feel now this is the most responsible thing I can do and I would be irresponsible if I didn't now speak up."
Meanwhile, six former ministers are among 12 Labour MPs who signed the article in Progress magazine calling for a "convincing new narrative" from Labour. 'Error of judgement'
On Friday, junior whip Ms McDonagh was fired for calling for a debate on Gordon Brown's leadership.
Former Home Office minister Mr Howarth - who has also signed a Progress magazine article calling on the party to be "bold" - told the BBC he had made his request for nomination papers to be sent out roughly two weeks ago.
SEVEN IN LEADERSHIP CALL Fiona Mactaggart - elected 1997, responsibility for the criminal justice system until 2006Graham Stringer - elected 1997, first to call for Gordon Brown to resignJoan Ryan - elected 1997, parliamentary under-secretary at Home Office 2006-07George Howarth - elected 1986, parliamentary roles at Home Office and Northern Ireland, member Privy Council since 2005 Siobhain McDonagh - elected 1997, ex-PPS to John Reid, and junior whip 2007-08 Gordon Prentice - elected 1992, did not endorse Gordon Brown as party leaderJanet Anderson - elected 1992, former junior whip and ex-under secretary at culture department
Ms Mactaggart said she made her request for the papers to be sent out at the end of August.
But there have also been a string of MPs loyal to Mr Brown dismissing the actions of those calling for a leadership election.But there have also been a string of MPs loyal to Mr Brown dismissing the actions of those calling for a leadership election.
Tony Lloyd, the chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, said he did not know of any great amount of support for Ms Ryan's position. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAY Brown is unlucky to have taken power when the world economy was collapsing LJ Hamilton, Glasgow class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5337&edition=1&ttl=20080913132328">Send us your comments Tony Lloyd, the chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, said he did not know of any great amount of support for Ms Ryan's position.
"What it does represent is a handful of people who are not joined by the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs," he said."What it does represent is a handful of people who are not joined by the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs," he said.
Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, has also criticised those Labour MPs seeking a leadership contest.Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, has also criticised those Labour MPs seeking a leadership contest.
"I think it is an error of judgement," she said."I think it is an error of judgement," she said.
"I think people would expect the party of government to be focused on taking us through difficult economic times and protecting those at risk.""I think people would expect the party of government to be focused on taking us through difficult economic times and protecting those at risk."
HAVE YOUR SAY Brown is unlucky to have taken power when the world economy was collapsing LJ Hamilton, GlasgowSend us your comments
Labour MP for Dagenham, John Cruddas, has dismissed the calls for a leadership election as an indulgent sideshow that would do nothing but harm to the party.Labour MP for Dagenham, John Cruddas, has dismissed the calls for a leadership election as an indulgent sideshow that would do nothing but harm to the party.
Mr Cruddas - who ran for the deputy party leadership last year - said those seeking a challenge to Mr Brown were "delusional".Mr Cruddas - who ran for the deputy party leadership last year - said those seeking a challenge to Mr Brown were "delusional".
And in an interview in the Daily Telegraph, Schools Secretary Ed Balls, one of Gordon Brown's most senior allies, said there was "very little chance" of the prime minister being ousted before the next election.And in an interview in the Daily Telegraph, Schools Secretary Ed Balls, one of Gordon Brown's most senior allies, said there was "very little chance" of the prime minister being ousted before the next election.
But the BBC's Nick Robinson said: "I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum."But the BBC's Nick Robinson said: "I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum."
I believe that those involved in this believe they do not currently have the numbers, but they want to create a momentum BBC political editor Nick Robinson class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/">Read Nick Robinson's blog Harriet Harman defends Gordon Brown's leadership
He added: "There will be MPs thinking 'is it time for me to move?'"He added: "There will be MPs thinking 'is it time for me to move?'"
The article in Progress said: "Labour needs to provide a convincing new narrative if left-of-centre politics are to remain the driving force in Britain. The party's general secretary Ray Collins has rejected the MPs' call for nomination papers to be sent out to all MPs - saying that under party rules he is not required to do so.
"This has to be more than a series of policy initiatives. It has to set a new framework for post-credit crunch Britain." The party's annual conference starts in Manchester next weekend.
They also said it was an urgent task for the party to "renew confidence in our economic competence", and described recent policies as being "defensive" when the party needed to be "bold". Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said Britain was "watching the death throes of the Labour Party".
The article's signatories include former culture minister Janet Anderson, Mr Howarth, former transport ministers Stephen Ladyman and Karen Buck and Paddy Tipping, who was deputy leader of the Commons. Tory frontbencher Chris Grayling said: "Gordon Brown should sort this out once and for all by calling an early General Election."
Also putting their name to the article are backbenchers Eric Joyce, Sally Keeble, Martin Linton, Shona McIsaac, Margaret Moran and Tom Levitt.