The National Executive Council, Labour's ruling body, was meeting in London today amid growing concern about the government's poor standing in opinion polls.
But the meeting was overshadowed by the refusal of rebel Lancashire MP Janet Anderson to attend.
The Rossendale and Darwen MP has warned the party is `sleepwalking into oblivion.'
Rumours of a backbench rebellion against the prime minister is gaining momentum with 12 MPs requesting leadership nomination forms to be sent out. Graham Stringer, former Manchester council leader and Blackley MP, has repeatedly called for a contest.
Speaking to Channel M, he said: "With a number of by-election defeats, it seems like the electorate has already made up their minds about Gordon Brown.
"I think rather than have a post mortem about why we lose the next general election we should take the opportunity of still having time to do something about it."
Under party rules, a contest could only be called if 70 out of 350 of Labour MPs nominated a rival candidate. Mr Stringer said the party needed to have an open election process, which he says failed to take place after Tony Blair stood down.
He said: "We need a leadership selection process where we can debate the policies - we didn't have one when Gordon took over."
Up to 17,000 delegates are expected to attend the summit in Manchester, which begins on Saturday.
Tourism chiefs expect it will be worth £18m to restaurants and hotels. Tweet
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After attending the Commemoration regarding the end of Operation Banner at St Paul's Cathedral last week with my husband who spent 38 months of his life serving in Northern Ireland, I did note that Gordon Brown spoke to no one, shook no one's hand or even looked a single person in the eye throughout the time he spent inside the Cathedral. I'm not surprised to see there is a growing unrest amongst his staff, he's not really a people person and his air of arrogance is quite stifling in a confined space. I hope the smug grin you reserve for the cameras will be well and truly removed from your face at the next election.
What is the difference between Gordon Brown,his Government,and a Dictatorship ?...Am buggered if I know.
I predicted he would be out by cgristmas 2008 and I stick to my prediction. He will cite 'personal' reasons.
His record as Chancellor was more good luck than good management. Sack him! Sack him! Sack him!
also why have we got a scotsman in charge anyway? as all he's doing is setting up lovely freebies for his fellow countrymen and women while all us lot down here still have to pay for everything and pay taxes to cover the costs of these freebies for scotland.
he is not leadership material, he got the job by default. there should have been an elected leader. labour has now fallen apart.
the best thing tony blair did was jump ship at the right time before the boat started to sink.
labour have always played the poverty game. which they always try to reduce the numbers by giving out more and more benefits. so they can then say they've tackled poverty. what a load of tosh!
if you force people to work rather than claim benefits this would leave them more money to invest in the areas that matter the most. like the nhs and police. we also wouldnt need so many migrant workers and it would keep the money within our economy.
our country is in social meltdown. if the government sorted this one problem out then they might have a chance of staying in power. but they think its too risky a subject to even start meddling with it.
Brown was too scared to hold an election when Blair left.He was terrified of being known as the shortest serving Prime Minister.Fed up with seeing that False grin.
Saddam Hussein
Robert Mugabe
Gordon Brown
All dictators who remove their opponents.
good observation Voice of Sanity. you're totally right there!
Voice of Sanity:
If you would have made your comment to Mr Hussein if he was alive or Mr Mugabe chances are your house would be burnt down and you and your family killed that is the difference.
John Prescott got an egg in the face he just punched the bloke back, in Iraq or Zimba you would be fried or boiled. Be thankful we have a good system.
Be thankful we have a good system!
what? taxed to the hilt and given hardly anything in return? poor policing, poor healthcare, poor retirement future.
yet if you do nothing you can claim loads back in benefits.
i dont see anything good about that system? unless you're a polititian or a benefits scrounger!
Our government and are not on this planet and not in touch with the people of his country.
Go an live in Siberia then, Heartless, Moan Moan Moan, you sure you are not still on a babies bottle
nope just one of a large majority in this country who are fed up of the state this country is in!
we seem to be going backwards not forwards.
Big Blue CITY you must be one of these insane people who are happy and content with the majority of your money being taken away from you and spent on people too lazy to get up off the sofa watching jeremy kyle. unless you are actually sat down watching it now and dont know what work or tax is?
This crushed joker is going to crush rebels ? What a laugh. Labour have only targeted Manchester with the Congestion Charge because its full of Labour MP's who think they're sitting in safe seats. Lets show em at the polls how safe these seats are for trying to hit us for an extra £1800 income tax on working folk who need to drive to work because they sold off our family silver of public transport to the greedy private section who like us to travel like livestock as long as they're making more money.
Jaywalker
I dont know who jeremy Kyle is. Come back when the next Government is in and tell me how it has changed for the better for you, I feel you will be waiting a long time even if there was a new Government tomorrow. Go and read up on what a recession is, how often they have occurred in the past, and why they happen and read what is happening in the Global Market today and try and see who is really to blame, and then the Penny Might Drop. Cheap talk is easy making it look like you know something when you don't. Is it the same system you want but with loads of money coming in, go and understand why there isn't loads of money coming in. I rest my case.
Poor Gordon couldn't crush a grape !