Backbenchers challenge Brown's leadership

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was today facing the prospect of a dramatic challenge to his leadership after two former Cabinet ministers issued a call for the issue to be resolved "once and for all".

In a round robin letter to all Labour MPs and peers, Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt called for a secret ballot of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on whether there should be a leadership contest.

The call was immediately backed by two of Mr Brown's most prominent backbench critics - former ministers Charles Clarke and Frank Field.

However, Tony Lloyd, who chairs the Parliamentary Labour Party, said there was "very little support" for the move, which he dismissed as a "sideshow".

In their letter, Mr Hoon and Mrs Hewitt said the party was "deeply divided" over the leadership and the issue needed to be resolved if it was not to undermine Labour's general election campaign, now less than six months away.

"The continued speculation and uncertainty is allowing our opponents to portray us as dispirited and disunited," they said.

"It is damaging our ability to set out our strong case to the electorate. It is giving our political opponents an easy target.

"In what will inevitably be a difficult and demanding election campaign, we must have a determined and united parliamentary party. It is our job to lead the fight against our political opponents.

"We can only do that if we resolve these distractions. We hope that you will support this proposal."

Mr Hoon and Mrs Hewitt insisted that Mr Brown's supporters should be able to back the plan, as the party would be obliged to fall in behind him if the ballot came out against change.

"This is not an attempted coup," Mrs Hewitt said.

But Mr Lloyd said that they were "wrong" and lacked support in the party for their proposal.

"It is not what the Parliamentary Labour Party wants nor, frankly, what the British public wants," he said.

"What we want is Gordon Brown ignoring this and the Parliamentary Labour Party saying 'get on with the serious business of the governance of this country'."

Mr Hoon and Mrs Hewitt broke cover as MPs returned from their Christmas break to a Westminster awash with rumours of a possible leadership challenge.

Last night, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell was forced to issue a statement denying suggestions that she was about to quit.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, who was a key figure in ensuring Mr Brown's survival when James Purnell resigned as work and pensions secretary last year, also had to deny reports of a rift over economic policy.

Previous attempts to oust Mr Brown foundered over the lack of heavyweight support from within the Cabinet, and the chances of his opponents succeeding this time may depend on whether they can get the backing of any senior ministers.

Despite his determination to fight on, Mr Brown could not survive if Cabinet colleagues indicated that they could not longer support him.

Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles said the British government could no longer carry on and Mr Brown should now call an immediate general election.

"It's irresponsible to have such a dysfunctional, faction-ridden Labour Party running the country," he said.

"Ministers are more concerned about saving their own political skin than actually getting Britain out of the monumental mess we are in.

"We cannot go on like this. The only responsible thing the Government can do is call a general election."

Mr Clarke said he had written to Mr Lloyd backing calls for a ballot.

The Norwich South MP, who has been one of Mr Brown's most outspoken Labour critics, promised that he would give the Prime Minister his support if he won the backing of the PLP in a secret vote.

Mr Clarke said: "I have written to Tony Lloyd, the chairman of the PLP, to support Geoff Hoon's and Patricia Hewitt's proposal for a secret ballot of the PLP.

"I believe that this is the best way to resolve the many concerns which exist within the PLP and the ballot could be organised in a very few days.

"If such a ballot does confirm the Prime Minister in his leadership, I will categorically accept that result and give him my public and private support through to the general election."

In a statement, a Labour Party spokesman said the plan was "unconstitutional, not wanted and not needed".

"There is no provision for a secret ballot of MPs within the Labour Party constitution or rules, nor is there any provision whatsoever for a leadership election to be open only to MPs.

"The Labour Party, its members and affiliates are committed to making sure that we get through this recession fairly, that we secure the recovery and we as a party go on to present the choice at the next election between our plans for an age of aspiration or the Tories' plans for an age of austerity, a choice between securing growth or choking off the recovery.

"Not only, therefore, is this idea unconstitutional, it is not wanted and not needed."

In their letter, Mr Hoon and Ms Hewitt argued that a secret ballot could be dealt with "quickly and with minimum disruption to the work of MPs and the government".

"Strong supporters of the Prime Minister should have no difficulty in backing this approach," they said.

"There is a risk otherwise that the persistent background briefing and grumbling could continue up to and possibly through the election campaign, affecting our ability to concentrate all of our energies on getting our real message across.

"Equally, those who want change, should they lose such a vote, would be expected by the majority of the PLP to devote all of their efforts to winning the election.

"The implications of such a vote would be clear - everyone would be bound to support the result."

Despite the party's insistence that there was no provision in the rules for a secret ballot on the leadership, senior MPs acknowledged that it could still happen if there was sufficient support.

The plan would get round the need for a challenger to put his or her name forward to force a leadership contest - a requirement which has so far put off any rivals from within the Cabinet.

If the result of the ballot was in favour of a leadership contest, potential successors such as Foreign Secretary David Miliband or Home Secretary Alan Johnson could go forward without the taint of having wielded the knife against Mr Brown.

Labour Chief Whip Nick Brown said there was "no significant support" for the move.

"I strongly disapprove of what has been done," he said in a statement.

"The Government Whips office is united behind the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. There is no significant support for this unhelpful gesture made by ex-ministers."

Mr Brown's spokesman told reporters at a daily briefing: "The Prime Minister is relaxed and getting on with his job as Prime Minister.

"He has a very busy schedule and, as always, is very focused on the key priorities in front of him."