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Meacher enters Labour leader race Meacher enters Labour leader race
(40 minutes later)
Veteran MP and former minister Michael Meacher has launched a challenge to Gordon Brown for the Labour leadership, promising a left-wing agenda.Veteran MP and former minister Michael Meacher has launched a challenge to Gordon Brown for the Labour leadership, promising a left-wing agenda.
Mr Meacher said Britain needed a new foreign policy, not "subservient" to the US, and to raise the minimum wage. He called for Trident nuclear weapons to be scrapped, huge investment in renewable energy, curbs on City bonuses and nationalisation of the railways.
Mr Meacher claims to have support from enough MPs to get on to the ballot and insisted he had a chance of winning. He claims to have enough MPs' support to get onto the ballot and insists he has a chance of winning.
Fellow left-winger John McDonnell, who has planned his own leadership bid for seven months, said he would fight on. Fellow left-wing leadership contender John McDonnell said he would fight on.
"We have been expecting Michael's announcement for over nine months. It doesn't change things," said Mr McDonnell. "We have been expecting Michael's announcement for over nine months. It doesn't change things," said Mr McDonnell, who began his campaign last July.
Since being sacked as an environment minister in 2003, Mr Meacher has been critic of the government. Government critic
'Proper debate' Mr Meacher is one of Labour's longest-serving MPs, who served in the Wilson and Callaghan government, but since being sacked as an environment minister in 2003, he has been a vocal critic of the government.
Announcing his intention to stand on Thursday, he said: "We need a new foreign policy which is based on fundamental British interests, not subservience to the US. It is not sustainable to continue as America's glove puppet Michael Meacher
"It is not sustainable to continue as America's glove puppet. Domestically, we should start by raising the national minimum wage quickly to six pounds an hour and soon after to seven pounds an hour." Announcing his intention to stand on Thursday, he said Labour members deserved a say in the party's future direction.
Mr Meacher, one of Labour's longest-serving MPs, was environment minister between 1997 and 2003. "We need a new foreign policy which is based on fundamental British interests, not subservience to the US.
Since leaving the government he has criticised Chancellor Gordon Brown, the favourite to take over from Mr Blair, for signalling he would renew Britain's nuclear weapons system. "It is not sustainable to continue as America's glove puppet."
He has said there had to be " proper debate" about Trident, if not a referendum on the issue. He also said the national minimum wage should be raised to £6 an hour quickly, and to £7 an hour "soon after".
"We need a new social policy if the growing divisions within our society are to be healed.
"Frankly it's not sustainable to be doling out £9bn in city bonuses to a few thousand city high fliers, at the same time as 12.5 million people in the same society...remain in poverty."
'Biggest mistake'
He hit back at criticism from Mr McDonnell over his support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
It's a pity because, frankly, he's going to get humiliated Stephen Pound Profile: Michael Meacher Analysis: Brown challengedIt's a pity because, frankly, he's going to get humiliated Stephen Pound Profile: Michael Meacher Analysis: Brown challenged
And he has been an outspoken critic of British foreign policy, as well as a passionate campaigner for more robust action on climate change. "The biggest political mistake of my life was over the Iraq war. I believed the prime minister when he said there was a growing and imminent threat," said Mr Meacher.
Mr Meacher has told the BBC he is confident he can get the backing of the 44 MPs needed to get on to the ballot. He said some of Mr Blair's comments in the run up to war "stretched the truth".
But Labour MP Stephen Pound said Mr Meacher was a "faintly ridiculous" figure, adding he would be surprised if the veteran left-winger managed to get the required support. Only a handful of Labour MPs turned up to the launch of Mr Meacher's campaign, but he claims to have the backing of 30 with 25 more ready to lend their support.
Contest not coronation Leadership candidates need 44 signatures from Labour MPs to get on to the ballot.
'Faintly ridiculous'
But Labour MP Stephen Pound, who described Mr Meacher as a "faintly ridiculous" figure, said he would be surprised if the veteran left-winger managed to get the required support.
"It's a pity because, frankly, he's going to get humiliated," said the Ealing North MP."It's a pity because, frankly, he's going to get humiliated," said the Ealing North MP.
"I suspect he knows that, if he put his ego to one side a bit he would realise that."I suspect he knows that, if he put his ego to one side a bit he would realise that.
"Michael Meacher is a major figure on the British political scene, yet the majority of people I have spoken to, who came into Parliament in the last six or seven years, just said: 'Who?' They didn't know who he was."
The chancellor is the favourite to succeed Mr BlairThe chancellor is the favourite to succeed Mr Blair
"Michael Meacher is a major figure on the British political scene, yet the majority of people I have spoken to, who came into Parliament in the last six or seven years, just said: 'Who?' They didn't know who he was."
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said some Labour MPs would welcome a contest and Gordon Brown himself might prefer a contest to a "coronation", as it would give his leadership more of a mandate.BBC political editor Nick Robinson said some Labour MPs would welcome a contest and Gordon Brown himself might prefer a contest to a "coronation", as it would give his leadership more of a mandate.
But he said the Conservatives were bound to use the news to argue that the Labour leadership - and deputy leadership - contests represented a further move to the left for the party. There is also speculation Mr Meacher's challenge will flush out a Blairite challenger from the Cabinet ranks.
Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman, a contender for the deputy leadership, welcomed the prospect of a full-blown leadership contest.Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman, a contender for the deputy leadership, welcomed the prospect of a full-blown leadership contest.
'No bad thing''No bad thing'
She told BBC Radio Berkshire: 'It's the Labour members, the Labour Party members' right to vote for the new leader and deputy leader.She told BBC Radio Berkshire: 'It's the Labour members, the Labour Party members' right to vote for the new leader and deputy leader.
"And although there is overwhelming support for Gordon Brown and I myself strongly support Gordon Brown and I will be nominating him, I think actually a contest is no bad thing.""And although there is overwhelming support for Gordon Brown and I myself strongly support Gordon Brown and I will be nominating him, I think actually a contest is no bad thing."
Mr McDonnell, who will be competing with Mr Meacher for left-wing Labour backing, said he had the support of about 22 MPs, and would not drop out of the race.Mr McDonnell, who will be competing with Mr Meacher for left-wing Labour backing, said he had the support of about 22 MPs, and would not drop out of the race.
He said: "Labour Party members will still have the same choice between my record of voting against the war in Iraq, voting against tuition fees, voting against privatisation of our public services and cuts in benefits and the record of those ministers and former ministers like Gordon Brown and Michael Meacher, who have consistently voted for these policies."He said: "Labour Party members will still have the same choice between my record of voting against the war in Iraq, voting against tuition fees, voting against privatisation of our public services and cuts in benefits and the record of those ministers and former ministers like Gordon Brown and Michael Meacher, who have consistently voted for these policies."
There has been speculation a senior figure from the Blairite wing of the party, such as Home Secretary John Reid or Environment Secretary David Miliband would mount a leadership bid.
But so far no heavyweight contender has emerged to challenge Mr Brown.