New speculation over Labour leadership

The prime minister’s future is once again in the spotlight amid growing factionalism within Labour ranks.

Splits have emerged among Labour’s left-wingers about who should challenge Gordon Brown once Tony Blair stands aside.

Last week senior Labour figure Clare Short signalled that she would no longer support the chancellor to succeed the prime minister.

Her comments came after the chancellor signalled his support for a new nuclear deterrent to replace the Trident submarine system.

Brown’s comments increased the prospect of a contest for the leadership once the prime minister leaves office.

But the left-wing appears increasingly split on who should challenge Brown for the Labour leadership.

The 30-strong Campaign Group of left-wingers has split into two factions over recent weeks.

One faction is led by Nottingham South MP Alan Simpson. It supports Michael Meacher, the former environment minister, as its candidate.

But the hard-left, led by Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell, does not believe that Meacher is sufficiently left-wing to win the support of hardline critics of the prime minister.

That group believes that McDonnell himself is best placed to become the candidate of Labour’s left-wingers.

News of the splits come as a it emerges that former home secretary Charles Clarke is to step up the pressure on Tony Blair.

Clarke, who was sacked from the government over the foreign prisoners scandal, is set to call on the prime minister to name the day of his departure.

In a speech next month Clarke is set to say Labour must begin to renew itself if it is to win the next general election.

That is being read as a signal that Blair must set in train the schedule for his departure.

Clarke is said to believe that the prime minister could stay on until 2008 – but suggests he must make his intentions clear.

The speech is likely to raise fresh speculation about the prime minister’s future and could lead to fresh calls for an early leadership contest.

It will also set modernisers against Labour's left-wing and could further prompt the chancellor to expand on his policy plans once in office.