Harriet Harman has been named the next deputy leader of the Labour Party.

The justice minister was the surprise winner from the six candidates competing for the position of Gordon Brown's deputy.

Party chairman Hazel Blears was eliminated in the first round of voting, with second preferences then distributed to the other candidates.

Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain was last in the second round of voting, while international development secretary Hilary Benn - judged to be second favourite ahead of the contest - was eliminated in the third round.

With no candidate having a majority by the fourth round, Dagenham MP Jon Cruddas was eliminated. In the fifth round of voting against Harman polled 50.43 per cent, against 49.56 per cent for Alan Johnson.

Johnson - the favourite going into the contest - had been three points ahead in the fourth round, but when Cruddas dropped out there was a swing to Harman, especially among party members.

She told the Labour special conference it was an "honour and a privilege" to be chosen for the job, and said she and the party were confident about the future.

Prescott

It is unclear if Harman will also hold the position of deputy prime minister, the dual role of outgoing deputy leader John Prescott.

She may take over some or all of the role currently held by Labour chairman Hazel Blears.

She campaigned on equality and fairness issues, and said as a woman she would complement Brown at the top of the party.

Prescott had earlier told the BBC his successor should focus on "bringing back enthusiasm" for Labour rather than on a big government job.

"This is about party, it is an important party job and I think that they've all recognised that is the case," he told BBC1's Sunday AM programme.

"I think we took our eye off the ball to a certain extent about the politics of organisation being as important as politics of ideas and policy.

"Let us get on with the organisation, strengthening the party, bringing back enthusiasm into it, these are essential to win the next election."

There have been accusations that the debates surrounding the deputy leadership contest signalled a "lurch to the left".

Labour agenda

But speaking on BBC1's Politics Show, the incoming prime minister said all members of the government must follow the Labour agenda.

"Nobody is going to serve in the government of the Labour Party starting on Wednesday who is not prepared to support the manifesto of our party," Brown said.

"When people make these comments, they have got to look at what the policy of our party is and the policy the government is pursuing and there will have to be discipline in the government that I lead."

Reports indicated that while turnout in the elections for a new leader and deputy leader was high among MPs, at 99 per cent, this fell to 53 per cent among members - and a tiny eight per cent among the trade unions.

Responding to Harman's election, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable said: "Is Harriet Harman now going to be the deputy prime minister, like John Prescott, or has this vast expensive political circus produced nothing more than a minor functionary in the Labour Party?"

He went on: "While the deputy leader has been elected and has a clear mandate, at least within the Labour Party, Gordon Brown has not been elected as prime minister.

"The Liberal Democrats believe that such is the power of a modern prime minister that we have in effect a presidential system, and Gordon Brown should be willing to submit himself to an early general election to establish basic political legitimacy.