First two Labour MPs call on Brown to quit

The first Labour MP to put his head above the parapet and call on Gordon Brown to quit was John Mann, MP for Bassetlaw.

The BBC reports him as saying:

"Gordon Brown has had a good run and whilst he was an excellent chancellor he has been seen as a poor prime minister who is out of touch and aloof. Labour lost votes because of this."

"There's no way Gordon Brown can in any credibility carry on as prime minister for long and as Labour leader. He needs to go. We need a new leader over the summer elected to be running the Labour Party,"

However, he seems to be of the school of thought that if Labour swiftly replaced Brown, that new leader could preside over a Lib-Lab coalition:

"Gordon Brown's continuation as the party's leader rules out the credibility of a Lib-Lab pact that has to prioritise the modernisation and reform of the antiquated UK political systems, the continued stabilisation of the economy in partnership with the need to protect front line public sector jobs and services."

His call was later followed by independent-minded former minister, Kate Hoey, who told Radio 5 Live:

"I think he must go and I don't think we will have renewal until we get a new leader.

Jonathan Isaby