http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7613086.stm

A junior member of the government has been sacked after breaking ranks to 
call for a challenge to Gordon Brown as party leader.

Assistant whip Siobhain McDonagh said she wanted a debate about the party's 
future and a "huge number" of other Labour MPs also wanted a contest.

A government spokesman said Ms McDonagh would be sacked and her replacement 
had already been appointed.

He added that she had always been "Anti-Gordon".

...........

Labour MP Emily Thornberry mounted a defence of Mr Brown's premiership on 
PM, saying the public would not "respect" Ms McDonagh for her call.

And the reason no alternative candidate had come forward to challenge Mr 
Brown is that he was "best qualified" to steer the country through difficult 
economic times.

(more)

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The problem isn't that Labour didn't get to have a proper leadership 
contest, it's that Gordon should not have become PM without a general 
election.  Even if it wasn't legally necessary to have an election he needed 
the authority that one would give him.  Right now he's just there because he 
and Tony had a deal.

Power shouldn't be theirs to pass around to each other just because the 
party got elected for a period of time anyway.  Party and party leader 
should come as a package otherwise the nature of the country's leadership 
becomes seriously unpredictable.  You could vote for one leader you trust 
and end up with a complete maniac because the party leadership changd.  The 
only safe way should be to have an election if the ruling party's leader 
changes.



TWP