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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Darling urges MPs to back Brown | Darling urges MPs to back Brown |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling has urged Labour colleagues to "get behind" Gordon Brown who, he said, was the "right person to lead this country". | Chancellor Alistair Darling has urged Labour colleagues to "get behind" Gordon Brown who, he said, was the "right person to lead this country". |
| People expected the government to be tackling the "unprecedented turbulence" in the financial markets, he said. | People expected the government to be tackling the "unprecedented turbulence" in the financial markets, he said. |
| Labour's ruling National Executive Committee is due to discuss rebel MPs' call for leadership nomination forms to be sent out to all Labour MPs. | Labour's ruling National Executive Committee is due to discuss rebel MPs' call for leadership nomination forms to be sent out to all Labour MPs. |
| Twelve have requested forms but would need 70 MPs' support for a contest. | Twelve have requested forms but would need 70 MPs' support for a contest. |
| Janet Anderson, one of the 12 who is also an NEC member, has not turned up at the NEC meeting. | |
| In a separate development, there have been reports that Scotland Office minister David Cairns was considering his position over concerns about Gordon Brown's leadership. | |
| But Downing Street sources have told the BBC he has not informed them of any intention to resign. | |
| 'Unprecedented turbulence' | 'Unprecedented turbulence' |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson said there was talk among Mr Brown's enemies that as many as "five or six" ministers were ready to resign. | BBC political editor Nick Robinson said there was talk among Mr Brown's enemies that as many as "five or six" ministers were ready to resign. |
| But Mr Darling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme what concerned people was issues like the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers - which in turn has seen shares fall in leading Asian markets. | But Mr Darling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme what concerned people was issues like the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers - which in turn has seen shares fall in leading Asian markets. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME |
| He said: "What I'd say is this, to my colleagues in particular, if you look at the front pages today, people of this country, as in other parts of the world, are concerned that at this time of unprecedented turbulence, we do everything we can to resolve these problems. | He said: "What I'd say is this, to my colleagues in particular, if you look at the front pages today, people of this country, as in other parts of the world, are concerned that at this time of unprecedented turbulence, we do everything we can to resolve these problems. |
| "That's what we should be looking at." | "That's what we should be looking at." |
| He added: "I have every confidence in Gordon Brown. I believe he is the right person to lead this country and to lead our party and I know that at the conference next week he will set out his vision for the future." | He added: "I have every confidence in Gordon Brown. I believe he is the right person to lead this country and to lead our party and I know that at the conference next week he will set out his vision for the future." |
| Mr Brown is holding a political cabinet meeting from 0830 BST, where party issues such as the upcoming conference will be discussed, as well as his regular weekly cabinet meeting. | Mr Brown is holding a political cabinet meeting from 0830 BST, where party issues such as the upcoming conference will be discussed, as well as his regular weekly cabinet meeting. |
| 'Mutual consent' | 'Mutual consent' |
| He is expected to attend at least part of the NEC meeting, which started at 1000 BST. | |
| On Monday it was announced MP Barry Gardiner, one of the 12 requesting nomination papers, had left his position as special envoy for forestry "by mutual consent". It came days after Labour vice chair Joan Ryan and junior whip Siobhain McDonagh were sacked for calling for a leadership challenge. | On Monday it was announced MP Barry Gardiner, one of the 12 requesting nomination papers, had left his position as special envoy for forestry "by mutual consent". It came days after Labour vice chair Joan Ryan and junior whip Siobhain McDonagh were sacked for calling for a leadership challenge. |
| The NEC is expected to support the party general secretary Ray Collins' refusal to send out nomination forms to all MPs. | The NEC is expected to support the party general secretary Ray Collins' refusal to send out nomination forms to all MPs. |
| He argues that the convention of the last 11 years is that they are only sent out to individual MPs upon request, but the rebels say this breaches the constitution of the party which says nominations "shall be sought each year". | He argues that the convention of the last 11 years is that they are only sent out to individual MPs upon request, but the rebels say this breaches the constitution of the party which says nominations "shall be sought each year". |
| The Guardian newspaper reports that the rebels are aware of legal advice given to past Labour party general secretaries who have been told that the papers must be sent out if members of the parliamentary party ask for them. | The Guardian newspaper reports that the rebels are aware of legal advice given to past Labour party general secretaries who have been told that the papers must be sent out if members of the parliamentary party ask for them. |
| MP Siobhain McDonagh, another rebel who was sacked as a government whip on Friday, told the paper: "The leadership claim this rule has not been used in the past few years, but since when has a law become no longer lawful because it has not been used? | MP Siobhain McDonagh, another rebel who was sacked as a government whip on Friday, told the paper: "The leadership claim this rule has not been used in the past few years, but since when has a law become no longer lawful because it has not been used? |
| "If they refuse a leadership contest, people will ask 'what has Brown got to be afraid of?'" |