'Vultures' urged to stop PM attacks

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Tony McNulty was the latest minister to rally round the Prime Minister, who is under pressure after Labour's devastating defeat in last week's Crewe and Nantwich by-election and the party's dismal showing in the May 1 local polls.

His intervention came after former minister Michael Meacher issued a call for Mr Brown to change the Government's direction or stand aside for someone else who will. Mr Meacher said that Labour could not win the General Election expected in 2010 on its current policy platform.

The weekend saw a succession of senior party figures take to the TV studios to voice their support for the beleaguered Prime Minister, amid media reports that Cabinet colleagues may be discussing options for the succession.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson insisted there was "absolutely no appetite...to change the leader" and former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott dismissed leadership speculation as "nonsense", while Foreign Secretary David Miliband denied a claim he was preparing a challenge and said Mr Brown remained "the best man for the job".

Home Office minister Mr McNulty told GMTV: "The vultures should clear off because there is no corpse around.

"Nine, six months ago Gordon Brown could do no wrong - he was 20 points ahead, Cameron was floundering because of the grammar school issue and everything else.

"Things are in a real flux. We have had 10 years of real economic growth and prosperity in this country. We are now going through tough times and people need to understand who is the man of substance to take us through those tough times. If that is the question, I'm damn sure David Cameron isn't the answer."

Mr Meacher, who tried to mount a challenge against Mr Brown when Tony Blair stepped down, last night told the BBC: "(Mr Brown) now knows the writing is on the wall. We are in the last chance saloon.

"He has got to indicate a major change in direction before we get to conference. I believe he can do that. I think he will find it difficult, but I think he is the right man to do it at this point. If he can't do it or won't do it, then he needs to give way to someone who will do it, because I don't believe with this current direction of Government policy that we can win."