Knowsley MP not satisfied by Brown speech

Sep 25 2008 by Rob Merrick, Political Correspondent

MP George Howarth _320

GORDON BROWN has still not shown he can pull Labour out of its crisis despite his conference success, one rebel Merseyside MP said yesterday.

George Howarth, the Knowsley North and Sefton East MP who has demanded a leadership contest, agreed the prime minister’s speech in Manchester had strengthened his position in the party.

But he warned the true test would come when the public gave its verdict in polls in the next few weeks, and in a crucial by-election pencilled in for November 6.

Mr Howarth was among about 12 Labour MPs who wounded the prime minister with a pre-conference demand for the release of nomination papers in a bid to trigger a challenge that would topple him.

Yesterday, he said: "It was a very successful speech and it certainly reassured those in the conference who wanted to know who Gordon is and where he wants to take the country.

"But the real test will be whether or not he has managed to convince the electorate that he is the right person to lead the country through its current difficulties.

"That will only become apparent over the coming weeks.

"If he hasn’t convinced others, then the problems that I, and others, identified recently will still have to be dealt with."

Mr Howarth and his fellow rebels kept a low profile at the Manchester conference, after last week’s banking crisis gave Mr Brown the perfect platform to launch a fightback.

But there are thought to be many other Labour MPs, perhaps as many as 45, willing to tell the Prime Minister it is time to go if he does not get a conference ‘bounce’.

Although Mr Brown’s speech was widely praised, yesterday’s resignation of Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly emphasised that it delivered only a short-term distraction from Labour’s troubles.

The prime minister now faces carrying out a perilous Cabinet reshuffle next week, which could create an opening for critical ministers to walk out, sparking a fresh crisis.

Mr Howarth said he did not regret demanding a leadership contest, insisting: "I still think it would give us a fresh start."