Labour leadership question 'settled', insists Miliband

FOREIGN Secretary David Miliband insisted today that the Labour leadership question was "settled" as ministers sought to draw a line under failed attempts to oust Gordon Brown.

The threat to the Prime Minister appeared to recede after he faced down a putative uprising at a crunch meeting of Labour MPs last night.

Mr Miliband, who is regarded as a likely successor to Mr Brown, said today he had never considered following James Purnell in quitting the Cabinet last week and urged his Labour colleagues to concentrate on taking the fight to the Tories at the next General Election.

Apparently dousing talk of his own potential candidature for the leadership, he described Home Secretary Alan Johnson as "the leading contender".

"The Parliamentary Labour Party has reached a settled view about the leadership," Mr Miliband said. "The Labour Party does not want a new leader, there is no vacancy, there is no challenger. The leading contender, Alan Johnson, is backing the Prime Minister to the hilt. So that is that."

Despite catastrophic electoral results for Labour and a string of ministerial resignations, only a handful of backbench critics called for Mr Brown to quit last night.

At a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Mr Brown admitted to "weaknesses" and promised a fresh approach and new policies.

He also delivered a stark warning that the party risked returning to the wilderness if it succumbed to "disunity" and kicked him out.

Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I always believed that the right thing to do was to remain in the Cabinet. I was clear that the right thing to do was to make sure that all of my energies were dedicated to making sure there was a progressive, clear, strong Labour project at the next election."

He said that, when news came through of James Purnell's resignation on Thursday night, he had immediately assured Lord Mandelson that he would not follow his exit.

And he insisted that the "key" point was that Labour's modernisation project from 1997 was only half complete.

"It's half complete in respect of political reform, it's half complete in respect of economic reform, it's half complete in respect of social reform and, I believe, on the international agenda, it is half complete too.

"And what I want to work for, what the Prime Minister wants to work for, what the whole Cabinet will work for, is the completion of that project."

But, asked about the task facing Labour in the next election, he added: "The odds are stacked against us when we are trying to win a fourth term."

The Cabinet was meeting this morning for the first time since Mr Brown's reshuffle and the resignation of several key ministers last week.

Attention is likely to be fixed on any signs of a new approach by an apparently weakened Prime Minister, criticised by resigning ministers for his style of leadership.

Ben Bradshaw, the new Culture Secretary, said today: "I think he has acknowledged that the style of leadership needs to change.

"I think he has acknowledged that the way that Number 10 has been operating has not been in the interests either of him or of the Labour Government, that he needs to behave in a more collegiate way. Those are things I think that people will welcome."

There are expectations of an inquiry into the Iraq War and a compromise over the part-privatisation of Royal Mail to be announced soon in a bid to win over disgruntled Labour backbenchers.

Mr Bradshaw criticised the "navel-gazing" and "self-indulgence" of recent days.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, also newly-promoted, said of last night's meeting: "There was a strong mood of support for the Prime Minister in the Parliamentary Labour Party and of an overwhelming desire to end the period of introspection."

Senior Labour MP John McFall, seen as a backbench ally of the Prime Minister, also accused the rebels of "navel-gazing" and "squabbling".
But he acknowledged Mr Brown had to communicate better, using "simpler language" with the public and making greater effort with the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Mr Purnell, whose resignation as work and pensions secretary on Thursday night at first appeared to mark the start of a Cabinet coup, said he did not regret his actions.

"I said what I said, I stand by it. Of course I can be happy if I turn out to be proven wrong and Gordon Brown leads the Labour Party to victory at the next election."

Labour's annual conference in September could yet become the focus of any further uprising against Mr Brown, should the party's fortunes fail to improve by then.

At last night's packed meeting, the Parliamentary Labour Party heard from ex-home secretary Charles Clarke, former ministers Tom Harris, Meg Munn and Fiona Mactaggart, and former whip Siobhain McDonagh that the Prime Minister had to go.

Former trade secretary Stephen Byers also demanded his removal at a separate event.

But the rebels' hope that their cry for change would be taken up more widely were not realised as Mr Brown acknowledged the situation was bad but insisted he was the man to turn it around.

"I have my strengths and I have my weaknesses. I know there are some things I do well, some things not so well," he said. "I've learned that you need to keep learning all the time. You solve the problem not by walking away but by facing it and doing something about it."

The premier pledged to act in a "more collective way", and signalled that policy shifts were on the way.

But Mr Harris shot back: "The results from last night have confirmed in my mind that the electorate aren't yet sold on Cameron, but they have made their minds up about you, Gordon, and it's not going to change. We can win the next election, but only if we have a new leader."

Ministers smiled and nodded at the waiting press as they arrived at No 10 for today's cabinet meeting. But they made no comment on the dramatic events within the party, saying nothing beyond a friendly "good morning" to the shouting photographers.

Most walked the short stretch up Downing Street, but Alan Johnson pulled up at the front door in his ministerial car.

Among the ministers leaving the Cabinet meeting was a broadly-grinning Lord Mandelson, who told photographers he was "very well".

The Prime Minister's spokesman said the Cabinet had discussed plans for constitutional renewal, and received an update on the economic situation from new Treasury Chief Secretary Liam Byrne.

Mr Byrne told the gathering there were "signs" Government policy was working to tackle the downturn, but there were "no grounds for complacency".

The Cabinet also agreed to hold a special meeting on Friday to discuss the agenda for "building a better Britain".

The meeting will take place in Westminster, and is expected to last "all morning", including a party political session.

"This is about how we move to the next stage, building on what we have already achieved and what we have done," the spokesman said.