BROWN URGED TO SACK MILIBAND

Geraldine Smith said Mr Miliband was "trying to stir up trouble" and should get on with his job, adding that if he was sacked he would return to being a "nonentity" on the backbenches.

Bob Marshall-Andrews accused Mr Miliband of "pretty contemptible politics" and said his behaviour had been "duplicitous".

Mr Miliband insisted that he was not "running a leadership campaign" and believed Mr Brown could hang on as leader.

Speaking on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, the Foreign Secretary said: "I am not running a leadership campaign. I have always wanted to support Gordon's leadership."

Asked if the PM could "hang on", Mr Miliband replied: "Yes, of course. Look, this leader of the Labour Party has got huge experience, he has got good values."

He defended his decision to publish an article in Wednesday's Guardian which was widely seen as destabilising for the Prime Minister.

"I think the worst thing at the moment would be if we all went mute," he said. "I think it's right that we say that, sure we've taken some hits, but actually we've got ideas about the future of the country, we do want to engage with people."

He added: "Gordon Brown is the leader of our party. I have always supported Gordon's leadership of the party.

"I think the party has benefited from the fact that he has brought people on, he's got a strong team, and we should all be contributing."