Woolas and Meacher back Brown

OLDHAM MPs have poured cold water on attempts to destabilise Gordon Brown, insisting they should instead focus on policies that matter to the public.

Two former ministers called for a leadership challenge to the Prime Minister claiming the Labour party was deeply divided.

In a letter to all Labour MPs and peers, Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt called for a secret ballot of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).

Unless the issue was resolved it would undermine Labour’s general election campaign, they said.

But Oldham’s two Labour MPs said there was no appetite for the call.

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas said: “While the country is struggling with the snow, the last thing we need is a bunch of has-been politicians telling us what is best for us. This will fizzle out.”

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher said: “What people want at this stage is concentrating on winning the election and having a set of policies that are going to galvanise our supporters and put us in there with a good chance.

“This is not the way to do it. We need to concentrate on policies where we can improve our appeal to the voters. Let’s leave aside personalities — that has long passed.”


Beating recession is priority: MP

A general election campaign should focus on a massive public building programme to bring the country out of recession and engage the voters, said Mr Meacher.

On Monday Labour claimed to have drawn first blood with a dossier claiming to have unearthed a £34 billion funding gap in Conservative spending plans. The Tories quickly branded it a dodgy dossier, full of mistakes and distortions of their policies.

Mr Meacher said the public could not stand another five months of figures being bandied around and politicians sniping at each other. He urged the Labour party to focus its campaign on measures to bring the country out of recession.

He said: “People want us to help them. Building more houses, repairing holes in the roads and improving the transport system. will create jobs and make a difference. A public building programme is the answer.”

He said the building project had to be public, given private investment would not be guaranteed because of the recession.”