Alan Johnson is being lined up as the successor to John Prescott as deputy Labour leader during the next parliament, reports the Times.

Ministers and MPs with trade union links consider the work and pensions secretary to be the ideal deputy to Gordon Brown if he takes over from Tony Blair before the general election after next.

A "senior power-broker" told the Times: "Alan is the man who will help us keep on course. We have every possibility of staying in power for a long time yet, but the party must be kept happier than it is at the moment."