BEHIND THE NEWS - 20 MAY 2007
Gordon Brown will be unopposed
Gordon Brown has secured the prize of the Labour leadership without a contest, ensuring that he will succeed Tony Blair as Prime Minister next month.
Around 8pm on Wednesday night, backbencher Andrew Mackinlay became the vital 308th Labour MP to formally nominate the Chancellor, ending the hopes of challenger John McDonnell to gain the 45 nominations he needed to enter the race.
Earlier, however, he had been scathing of the Chancellor, stating at a Westminster press conference that "If he really did want a leadership election I do not think he would have gone to these lengths to pressure and push MPs to nominate him".
- Read the full story
- Special report: Blair Years
- Comment on the blog
Gordon Brown has secured the prize of the Labour leadership without a contest, ensuring that he will succeed Tony Blair as Prime Minister next month.
Around 8pm on Wednesday night, backbencher Andrew Mackinlay became the vital 308th Labour MP to formally nominate the Chancellor, ending the hopes of challenger John McDonnell to gain the 45 nominations he needed to enter the race.
Earlier, however, he had been scathing of the Chancellor, stating at a Westminster press conference that "If he really did want a leadership election I do not think he would have gone to these lengths to pressure and push MPs to nominate him".
- Read the full story
- Special report: Blair Years
- Comment on the blog