Labour thwarts Brown revolt
2008-09-16 20:06
London - Britain's ruling Labour Party
rejected calls on Tuesday for a leadership election that could
have threatened Prime Minister Gordon Brown's grip on power.
Rising food and energy prices, a slump in house prices and
job losses since the global credit crunch began have increased
voters' discontent with Labour, which trails the opposition
Conservatives by about 20 points in opinion polls.
Brown, who took over from Tony Blair as prime minister
15 months ago, also faces a rebellion by some Labour members who
say he is incapable of leading the party to victory in the next
parliamentary election, due in 2010.
Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) rallied behind
him by rejecting requests from a dozen dissident Labour
politicians to send out nomination papers for a leadership
contest before the party's conference in the city of Manchester.
"The NEC will not be sending out nomination papers," a
Labour Party spokesperson said.
The backing of at least 71 Labour Members of Parliament
would be required for a leadership contest to go ahead.
Revolt 'not a failure'
Three Labour politicians have resigned or been dismissed
from junior government posts after calling for a leadership
race.
Another rebel, former minister Fiona Mactaggart, said the
the public revolt against Brown had not been a failure.
"What it has done is ensured that the leadership of the
Labour Party ... realise how serious the position is," she told
BBC radio, comparing the party's leadership to "ostriches, with
their heads in the sand".
Apparently appealing to party leaders who have been reticent
to openly challenge Brown, Mactaggart said: "Someone, somewhere
has to step up to ensure that the Labour Party shows that it is
capable of leading this country into the future."
The rebellion has sabotaged Brown's attempts to relaunch his
premiership after a series of local election defeats.
Some party leaders rallied around Brown on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Alistair Darling said he had "every
confidence" in Brown, and former foreign secretary Margaret
Beckett said there was "nobody better" to run the country.