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| Brown will enter No 10 unopposed | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has secured the backing of enough MPs to ensure he will not face a contest to become the next Labour leader and prime minister. | Gordon Brown has secured the backing of enough MPs to ensure he will not face a contest to become the next Labour leader and prime minister. |
| Mr Brown has 308 nominations and his sole rival, left-winger John McDonnell, has conceded defeat. He was 16 nominations short of the 45 required. | Mr Brown has 308 nominations and his sole rival, left-winger John McDonnell, has conceded defeat. He was 16 nominations short of the 45 required. |
| Mr McDonnell said he was disappointed on behalf of Labour Party members and it was a "blow to democracy". | Mr McDonnell said he was disappointed on behalf of Labour Party members and it was a "blow to democracy". |
| Mr Brown now looks set to become leader unopposed when Tony Blair steps down. | Mr Brown now looks set to become leader unopposed when Tony Blair steps down. |
| Nominations close on Thursday, but there are not enough remaining MPs to allow Mr McDonnell to run. | |
| 'Mathematically impossible' | |
| He said: "With Gordon Brown having gained 308 nominations from Labour MPs, it is now mathematically impossible for me to reach the nominations I require to stand. There will not now be an election." | |
| He congratulated Mr Brown, but said it was a shame party members would be denied "an opportunity of participating in a democratic election for the leader of this party". | |
| LABOUR MPS YET TO NOMINATE Charles ClarkeAndrew DismoreJim DowdFrank FieldDai HavardKate HoeyPiara KhabraPeter KilfoyleSiobhan McDonagh Andrew MacKinlayFiona MactaggartAlan MealeGraham StringerDavid WinnickTony Wright (Gt Yarmouth) Analysis: No contest? | |
| "I had hoped by standing I would have given them a voice in this crucial decision." | |
| Labour MP Dr Tony Wright told the BBC he had nominated Mr Brown as leader, but it had not yet been added to the Labour Party website. | |
| This gives the chancellor more than the 308 nominations needed to avoid a contest. | |
| Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay's office has reportedly said he would be nominating Mr Brown, although this has yet to be confirmed by the BBC. | Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay's office has reportedly said he would be nominating Mr Brown, although this has yet to be confirmed by the BBC. |
| A Labour spokesman said the party would not be commenting further on the nominations until they closed at 1230 BST on Thursday. | |
| Remaining MPs | |
| Of the other MPs yet to declare, the speaker cannot nominate and the deputy speaker, Sylvia Heal, has told the BBC she will not nominate anyone. | Of the other MPs yet to declare, the speaker cannot nominate and the deputy speaker, Sylvia Heal, has told the BBC she will not nominate anyone. |
| That leaves 15, including former home secretary Charles Clarke and former welfare reform minister and longstanding opponent of Mr Brown, Frank Field. | That leaves 15, including former home secretary Charles Clarke and former welfare reform minister and longstanding opponent of Mr Brown, Frank Field. |
| I was interested in supporting a left candidate, but not at any price Labour MP Dai Havard href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5237874.stm">Contender-by-contender class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6457597.stm">Labour contest timetable class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6658307.stm">Benn close to deputy race | |
| Earlier Mr McDonnell said he would "play until the whistle" to get sufficient support. | Earlier Mr McDonnell said he would "play until the whistle" to get sufficient support. |
| He told MPs: "Year in year out we rely on Labour Party members to deliver our leaflets, knock on doors, and fund the party with their small subscriptions and yet they will be excluded from participating in this election unless Labour MPs nominate me in the next 24 hours." | He told MPs: "Year in year out we rely on Labour Party members to deliver our leaflets, knock on doors, and fund the party with their small subscriptions and yet they will be excluded from participating in this election unless Labour MPs nominate me in the next 24 hours." |
| Candidates who get 45 or more nominations go to a ballot of party members, trade unionists and Labour MPs and European Parliament members. | Candidates who get 45 or more nominations go to a ballot of party members, trade unionists and Labour MPs and European Parliament members. |
| Support pooled | |
| Among Labour MPs who had not yet nominated a leadership candidate was Dai Havard, MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. | Among Labour MPs who had not yet nominated a leadership candidate was Dai Havard, MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: "I was interested in supporting a left candidate, but not at any price," he said. | He told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: "I was interested in supporting a left candidate, but not at any price," he said. |
| He had intended to back Michael Meacher, the other potential left-wing candidate, who stood aside so he and Mr McDonnell could pool their support. | He had intended to back Michael Meacher, the other potential left-wing candidate, who stood aside so he and Mr McDonnell could pool their support. |
| But Mr Havard added: "I'm not a stage army to be wheeled on and off by anybody, frankly. I'll make my own decisions." | But Mr Havard added: "I'm not a stage army to be wheeled on and off by anybody, frankly. I'll make my own decisions." |
| DEPUTY CONTEST SUPPORT Hilary Benn - 42 MPsHazel Blears - 49 MPsJon Cruddas - 46 MPsPeter Hain - 50 MPsHarriet Harman - 63 MPs Alan Johnson - 70 MPs | DEPUTY CONTEST SUPPORT Hilary Benn - 42 MPsHazel Blears - 49 MPsJon Cruddas - 46 MPsPeter Hain - 50 MPsHarriet Harman - 63 MPs Alan Johnson - 70 MPs |
| In the deputy leadership contest, in which there are six candidates, only International Development Secretary Hilary Benn - with 42 nominations - has yet to get through to the national ballot. | In the deputy leadership contest, in which there are six candidates, only International Development Secretary Hilary Benn - with 42 nominations - has yet to get through to the national ballot. |
| Backbencher Jon Cruddas, Education Secretary Alan Johnson, Justice Minister Harriet Harman, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain and Labour chairman Hazel Blears have all got through. | Backbencher Jon Cruddas, Education Secretary Alan Johnson, Justice Minister Harriet Harman, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain and Labour chairman Hazel Blears have all got through. |
| It is thought 38 Labour MPs have yet to nominate a deputy leadership contender. | It is thought 38 Labour MPs have yet to nominate a deputy leadership contender. |
| Those candidates who make it on to either ballot paper will take part in 10 hustings around the country ahead of a special conference in Manchester on 24 June, when the new leader and deputy leader will be named. | Those candidates who make it on to either ballot paper will take part in 10 hustings around the country ahead of a special conference in Manchester on 24 June, when the new leader and deputy leader will be named. |
| Mr Blair and deputy Labour leader John Prescott will hand over on 27 June. | Mr Blair and deputy Labour leader John Prescott will hand over on 27 June. |