Magic moments as the Brown cheerleaders stave off rebellion

The Prime Minister emerged relatively unscathed from his 97-minute session in a hot and sweaty Committee Room 15 last night - but only after several of his backbenchers told him to his face that he had to step down to save Labour from electoral annihilation.

Mr Brown began by promising to look at his own weaknesses. But in a 15-minute address, he told his critics that even if they changed leader they would still face the recession and the expenses scandal.

"I have my strengths and I have my weaknesses. I know I need to improve. There are some things I do well and some things I do not so well. I know I have got to keep learning all the time," he said. He pledged to consult his MPs more and be more open and transparent.

He said: "You solve the problem not by walking away but by facing it and doing something about it," adding: "I'm not making a plea for unity. I am making an argument for unity."

Mr Brown said there was "no huge ideological difference" within Labour and added that there was "not a resignation letter I have seen that mentions differences over policy".

The panelled room was so packed that at least three Cabinet ministers were initially turned away.

PLP chairman and Brown loyalist Tony Lloyd opened the meeting by stating he wanted an open debate - but inadvertently let slip he had a choreography for the meeting by calling on fellow loyalist Stephen Ladyman to speak. Unfortunately, Dr Ladyman wasn't even in the room.

Outside, Lord Donoughue, former adviser to Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, told reporters: "Your lust for blood will not be satisfied."

In a surreal moment, a locked-out Lord Janner began doing magic tricks for journalists to keep them entertained.

Inside the meeting, Charles Clarke was the first to warn Mr Brown he had to make himself disappear for the good of the party. "It's time to go," he said, to complete silence.

Former minister and blogger Tom Harris, who used Twitter to keep the outside world informed, told Mr Brown: "We can win the next election, but only if we have a new leader. So answer me this, Gordon: Why do you think Cameron wants you to remain in post?"

In all, out of 21 MPs who spoke just six directly criticised the premier, including Fiona Mactaggart, Meg Munn and Barry Sheerman.

Mr Sheerman asked Mr Lloyd to hold a secret leadership ballot of MPs, but was told by Mr Lloyd that the party's rules were silent on the issue.

Frank Dobson quoted the Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman on how Mr Brown had led the way in saving the world with his bank rescue, and as the meeting dragged on it became clear that it was being rounded off with a series of cheerleading speeches.

Critics Stephen Byers and Graham Allen were not called to speak, but David Blunkett was applauded when he declared that "this bloodletting has to stop - critics should put up or shut up and they have 24 hours to do so".

Margaret Beckett, who was sacked in the reshuffle, was next. "If anyone in this room has a unique reason to say he didn't get it right, it's me," she said, to nervous laughter. "But it would be madness to get rid of this man."

Sir Gerald Kaufman had possibly the most bizarre intervention. "Relieve yourself or push away the porcelain," he said, to giggles.

Lord Kinnock was Brown's secret weapon, however, giving a five-minute tub-thumping speech that quoted Nye Bevan's call for "common endeavour" and unity.

Mr Brown wrapped up the meeting with a final promise to take on board the criticism. He left to the sound of cheers, applause and banged desks. Until the autumn at least, the rebellion seemed over.