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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ministers back PM pre-conference | Ministers back PM pre-conference |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Cabinet ministers are falling in behind Gordon Brown as he prepares to issue a rallying cry at Labour's last party conference before the general election. | Cabinet ministers are falling in behind Gordon Brown as he prepares to issue a rallying cry at Labour's last party conference before the general election. |
| Schools Secretary Ed Balls said the prime minister's "authentic" approach would find favour with voters. | Schools Secretary Ed Balls said the prime minister's "authentic" approach would find favour with voters. |
| The Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said Mr Brown was "the right leader". | |
| International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said Mr Brown had "nothing to fear" from a TV debate between the party leaders. | International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said Mr Brown had "nothing to fear" from a TV debate between the party leaders. |
| Mr Brown is expected to arrive in Brighton later for the conference, which starts on Monday. | |
| Meanwhile, ex-deputy PM John Prescott has accused Labour MPs of defeatism. | Meanwhile, ex-deputy PM John Prescott has accused Labour MPs of defeatism. |
| He told the Independent there was "something lacking" at the top of the party and no direction in campaigning, adding: "We are drifting". | He told the Independent there was "something lacking" at the top of the party and no direction in campaigning, adding: "We are drifting". |
| Mr Miliband said Mr Brown had "bags" of resilience to take into the next election. | |
| He told the Daily Telegraph: "I think we've got the right leader in Gordon. He's the man who stopped us going from recession to depression in Britain and around the world." | |
| Mr Balls - regarded by most as the prime minister's closest ally - insisted there was "all to play for" in the next election as he geared up for the conference which begins on Sunday in Brighton. | |
| He said the party needed "more fighters, not quitters". | He said the party needed "more fighters, not quitters". |
| I hope this campaign provides the opportunity for serious debates at every level of the party. Douglas Alexander | I hope this campaign provides the opportunity for serious debates at every level of the party. Douglas Alexander |
| Mr Brown was criticised this summer for writing a letter of congratulations to England's victorious Ashes cricket team while keeping silent on the release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi. | Mr Brown was criticised this summer for writing a letter of congratulations to England's victorious Ashes cricket team while keeping silent on the release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi. |
| Business Secretary Lord Mandelson suggested Mr Brown would benefit from being better at public relations. | Business Secretary Lord Mandelson suggested Mr Brown would benefit from being better at public relations. |
| But Mr Balls told the Guardian the prime minister should not worry about lacking "razzmatazz". | But Mr Balls told the Guardian the prime minister should not worry about lacking "razzmatazz". |
| "Gordon is who he is. Gordon is at his strongest when he is being authentic," he said. | "Gordon is who he is. Gordon is at his strongest when he is being authentic," he said. |
| Labour could benefit from a proposed direct debate with Tory leader David Cameron, Mr Balls believes. | Labour could benefit from a proposed direct debate with Tory leader David Cameron, Mr Balls believes. |
| "The more debates the better," he said. | "The more debates the better," he said. |
| "David Cameron is better at reading out a script than discussing the detail of policy." | "David Cameron is better at reading out a script than discussing the detail of policy." |
| Mr Alexander suggested any televised debate could be part of a series between Labour heavyweights and their opposite numbers ahead of the next general election. | Mr Alexander suggested any televised debate could be part of a series between Labour heavyweights and their opposite numbers ahead of the next general election. |
| 'Game on' | 'Game on' |
| "I don't think Gordon has anything to fear from a TV debate," Mr Alexander, who is also Labour's election co-ordinator, told the Daily Mirror. | "I don't think Gordon has anything to fear from a TV debate," Mr Alexander, who is also Labour's election co-ordinator, told the Daily Mirror. |
| "I hope this campaign provides the opportunity for serious debates at every level of the party. | "I hope this campaign provides the opportunity for serious debates at every level of the party. |
| He said the conference would demonstrate that "it's not game over, it's game on". | He said the conference would demonstrate that "it's not game over, it's game on". |
| "This conference is the starting gun for a campaign that will last months, in which there will be competing ideas, competing visions and competing parties and I welcome that contest and welcome the start of that campaign." | "This conference is the starting gun for a campaign that will last months, in which there will be competing ideas, competing visions and competing parties and I welcome that contest and welcome the start of that campaign." |
| However, in his interview, Mr Prescott suggested there was a lack of talent and experience among the party's team of advisers. | However, in his interview, Mr Prescott suggested there was a lack of talent and experience among the party's team of advisers. |
| He said: "Those who have responsibility for campaigning - it is not reaching out to the depths of the party. | He said: "Those who have responsibility for campaigning - it is not reaching out to the depths of the party. |
| "We've got a whole bank of MPs, but everybody seems despondent. There's too much defeatist thinking. There's no central direction to campaigning." | "We've got a whole bank of MPs, but everybody seems despondent. There's too much defeatist thinking. There's no central direction to campaigning." |
| "There's got to be leadership and there's got to be a message." | "There's got to be leadership and there's got to be a message." |