Ed Miliband In Fresh Crisis Over Leadership

Ed Miliband's leadership is under more pressure after reports that 20 shadow ministers are poised to call on him to quit.

Senior figures are ready to strike if former home secretary Alan Johnson signals he is prepared to step into the breach, according to The Observer.

The number of Labour MPs prepared to act has "reached a critical mass" but they want a coronation rather than a difficult leadership contest.

A senior figure told The Observer: "There are 20 frontbenchers who are actively considering what is best to do. They are from all areas of the party, bar the hard left."

Labour MPs have been told not to respond to journalistic polls and questions about the leadership - but one MP told Sky News: "I think it’s time for him to go."

Another said: "If there was even a whisper Johnson would stand things would shift very quickly."

Speaking on Sky's Murnaghan programme, former Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay said it was time for Mr Miliband to go.

"There comes a point where the press and the media and the critics have got their teeth into this and are not going to let go. It's all going to end in tears.

"It would be much better if in a generous way Ed Miliband said 'I accept I’m not the man to do this', step aside and the modalities can be put into place for an emergency election and we can achieve that."

Mr Mackinlay, who was a Labour MP for 18 years before standing down at the last election, added that Alan Johnson "has got some qualities which Ed Miliband doesn't have".

"He can deliver a speech, he's a cheeky chappy, he appeals to all parts of the United Kingdom.

" … Also he's got gravitas, he's got maturity," he said.

Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride claimed Mr Miliband's camp would "fold" if a serious challenger put themselves forward.

He said: "If anyone was prepared to come forward now and actually do a formal challenge I think the Miliband camp would fold very quickly.

"Ed Miliband has very little hinterland within his own party and that's very dangerous. That was the thing that made Gordon Brown survive plots and coups and it made Tony Blair very resistant."

He added: "I think it is extraordinary that there is not a member of the Shadow Cabinet out today defending him."

But Ken Livingstone, Labour's former Mayor of London, denied Mr Miliband was in any danger.

Also speaking on Sky's Murnaghan programme, he said: "There's going to be no challenge whatsoever, (it's) absolute rubbish.

"Alan Johnson has made it absolutely clear he doesn't want to be Labour leader."

The Observer reports a senior Labour MP saying: "It has reached critical mass now."

And another saying: "There are a significant number of frontbenchers who are concerned about Ed’s leadership... If Alan indicated he would do it, there would be a massive move."

However, a spokesperson for Mr Miliband told Sky News the story was "ludicrous".

He said: "The Observer has got three unnamed people talking about 20 unnamed people, and this is the same paper that complained when the BBC ran a similar story based on two unnamed people. It is ludicrously bad journalism."

He added that Mr Miliband would continue focusing on "the big changes that are needed".

Polls suggest a dramatic fall in support for Mr Miliband's leadership. Only 34% of Labour voters now think Mr Miliband is up to being party leader, compared to 51% last month, said a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times. The poll also found 45% of Labour voters think he should step down.