Junior whip quits job over leadership challenge

Junior whip quits job over leadership challenge
A junior whip has left her post after calling for a leadership election at this year's Labour party conference. Siobhain McDonagh wrote a letter ten days ago in confidence seeking details about the process through which nominations for a leadership election take place. She appeared on BBC News 24 on Friday evening explaining that she believes Labour would benefit from a "real debate about… the issues facing us". It is the first time a member of the government has openly called for challengers to confront Gordon Brown about the party's leadership. Soon after, a government spokesman said Ms McDonagh was not fired but had "acknowledged that her actions were a resigning matter". He said she would be replaced by Brent South MP Dawn Butler, adding that Ms McDonagh had always been "anti-Gordon". "I think we need a leadership election. Anyone who wants to stand should stand," Ms McDonagh had said. "We should have a discussion about what direction the party is going in. It's about time we allowed party members and people involved in the wider community in on that." Assistant whip Ms McDonagh, the MP for Mitcham and Morden, was the most senior of a group of Labour party members who have inquired about the nomination process. She said she had "never voted against the government" in 11 years but that "every morning I get up and think, perhaps it has to be people like me to say, come on, I think we have to have this debate". It is not yet clear whether Ms McDonagh's call will attract widespread support among the parliamentary Labour party. But her call will be another step backwards for Mr Brown's premiership, which is currently seeking to recover its momentum following the announcement of an energy package yesterday. The Labour party conference begins a week tomorrow in Manchester.