Minister warns off PM 'vultures'

Tony McNulty is the latest Labour minister to back the prime minister

A government minister has told the "vultures" around Gordon Brown to stop raising questions about his future.

Home Office minister Tony McNulty said Britain needed a "man of substance" to lead it through tough economic times.

Former minister Michael Meacher has become the latest Labour MP to call on Mr Brown to change direction or resign.

But Mr McNulty said the prime minister should not step aside. He told GMTV: "The vultures should clear off because there is no corpse around."

Tories 'floundering'

Mr McNulty was among the ministers to rally behind Mr Brown, who is under pressure following Labour's defeat in last week's Crewe and Nantwich by-election and poor results in the May local elections.

He said: "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.

Mr Brown has got to indicate a major change in direction before we get to the Labour Party conference Michael Meacher MP

"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."

Mr McNulty's intervention came after former minister Michael Meacher said Mr Brown needed to change the government's direction, or stand aside for someone else who will.

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Mr Meacher said that Labour could not win the General Election expected in 2010 on its current policy platform.

He said Mr Brown knew the "writing is on the wall" and that Labour was in the "last chance saloon".

Mr Meacher said: "He has got to indicate a major change in direction before we get to [the Labour Party] 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."

The weekend saw a succession of senior party figures backing the prime minister amid media reports that Cabinet colleagues may be discussing replacing Mr Brown as leader.