Miliband's slip names Alan Johnson as leading man to replace Brown

The Foreign Secretary's surprising remark left a question mark over Gordon Brown's leadership despite the failure of last night's "peasants' revolt".

Mr Miliband also made clear that he briefly considered quitting last Thursday night after James Purnell resigned as Culture Secretary, a move that would have finished off the embattled Prime Minister.

Rebel backbenchers warned that Mr Brown is "on probation" and could come under attack again. A relieved Premier finished his reshuffle and chaired the new-look Cabinet today.

Downing Street announced a special Cabinet session on Friday to map out a fightback based on plans for the economy, public services reform and cleaning up politics.

Critics called it Mr Brown's fifth relaunch in two years. His first was on taking over in June 2007.

Then he reshaped No10, bringing in Lord Carter to run things, in January 2008 in the wake of the cancelled election debacle.

Then he pledged to listen more in June after the 10p tax revolt and by-election routs. This was followed by a major reshuffle and the return of Lord Mandelson in October.

Speaking on BBC radio, Mr Miliband said Labour had reached "a settled view about the leadership" and added: "The leading contender, Alan Johnson, is backing the Prime Minister to the hilt. So that is that."

Asked if he flirted with quitting, he said: "Flirtation is dangerous for married men, I'm not going to get into that."

He defended his decision to stay on - rebel MPs say it was crucial to saving Mr Brown - saying he wanted to campaign from the inside for progressive ideas: "I felt we had a responsibility to work inside government for its renewal. I always believed that the right thing to do was to remain in the Cabinet."

He admitted: "The odds are stacked against us when we are trying to win a fourth term."

Mr Purnell today broke his silence on his resignation.

He said he hoped to be "proven wrong" on Mr Brown by a Labour victory and did not mind that Mr Miliband and others declined to join him.

"I've got complete respect for people who stayed in the Government, who believe that's the right thing to do," he told Sky News.

Labour's plotters warned they would not go away. Senior MP Barry Sheerman said: "We will be watching Gordon. We will cease hostilities, we will give him a chance, but we will be watching him carefully."

He called for "a change of culture at No10" and added: "His intimates know how close he came. "

Mr Brown also chaired the first meeting of his new National Democratic Renewal Council looking at laws to give voters more direct say, such as a power to make MPs debate an issue by raising a petition. Also, backbenchers could win powers to decide on debates and votes.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne said Labour's in-fighting was harming jobs. "This leadership crisis is bad for the country and bad for the economy," he said in a speech. "It's not just Gordon Brown's job that is at stake."

With the final reshuffle list published today, it emerged that a record eight ministers will be unpaid.

They include Cabinet minister Shaun Woodward, Defence minister Lord Drayson, Foreign Office minister Lord Davies, Energy minister David Kidney and Defence minister Quentin Davies.