Poll adds to woes over Brown future

LONDON (Reuters) - Speculation about Prime Minister Gordon Brown's future gathered pace on Saturday with media reports of concern amongst senior Labour figures and a new opinion poll putting the Conservatives 22 points ahead.
Ministers have openly spoken of their support for the embattled prime minister but a day after Labour lost one of its safest parliamentary seats, newspapers were rife with rumours of backbenchers were sharpening their knives behind the scenes.

The Guardian newspaper said that discussions were under way at cabinet level on whether to seek Brown's "orderly resignation" while the Independent said Labour MPs were urging senior ministers to tell Brown to quit.

"I do not recognise those comments from the Cabinet colleagues I talk to," Cabinet Office minister Ed Miliband told BBC's Newsnight programme when asked about the claims.

"People realise there is a big collective responsibility here -- the collective responsibility is not to turn inwards but to turn outwards and understand the concerns of the country."

The BBC also reported that Justice Secretary Jack Straw, who papers said had been approached by Labour backbench MPs to tell Brown to step down, had told them to "calm down".

The speculation has grown since the Scottish National Party (SNP) snatched a slim 365-vote majority in the Glasgow East constituency with a 22.5 percent swing that overturned the 13,500 majority enjoyed by Labour at the 2005 election.

In further bad news, an opinion poll for the Independent on Saturday showed the Conservatives with 46 percent support of voters, way ahead of Labour on 24 percent.

That would give the Tories a landslide victory at the next general election, which Brown must call by May 2010.

This weekend the party's main policy-making forum is meeting to try to work out how to win back voters disillusioned by a string of political gaffes, rising inflation, falling house prices and a slowing economy.

Brown, whose popularity has slumped in the 13 months since he replaced Tony Blair, has vowed to fight on, saying he is the right man to be at the helm as the country deals with difficult worldwide economic problems.

Former minister David Blunkett backed that stance.

"The issues that affect people are not ones which divide the party or Gordon Brown from any potential successor," he told BBC radio.

"We are not a hatchet job party like the Conservatives who can drop their leader literally at the drop of a hat.

"So grow up, don't go for what might be a popular quick fix that you couldn't actually put in place and let's actually combine in the way we know best and work out what will actually reach people."

ATP Tour - Murray dumps out Djokovic

Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic 6-3 7-6 to reach the semi-finals of the Toronto Masters.

The eighth-seeded Scot stunned the defending champion in an hour and 44 minutes and will now face Rafael Nadal.

"This is the best I've played, he's always beaten me badly," said the satisfied Murray, now 1-4 against his rival from junior days.

"He really played good, he made me run, but I defended well. It was awesome to play in this atmosphere of a packed house.

"He's one of the best players, you can't make many errors against him and expect to win," added Murray, who saved a set point in the 10th game of the second set.

"If he had converted that, the momentum could have changed."

The Serbian third seed was from his best, committing more than 30 unforced errors in an effort which left him looking far from a threat for the summer hardcourt season.

Murray twice gave back breaks in the second set before finally squeezing into a tie-breaker, which he dominated to claim the victory on his third match point.

"It's a big win mentally for me, the last three times I played him I lost pretty badly," Murray said.

"Nadal is always going to be a big win. It gives you confidence, especially when you've lost to him three or four times beforehand.

"I want to try and keep this sort of form."

Nadal recovered after a marathon tie-break setback to seal a high-tension triumph over France's Richard Gasquet.

Spain's Wimbledon and French Open champion overcame 10th-seeded Gasquet 6-7 (12-14) 6-2 6-1 but required two hours and 14 minutes to claim his 59th victory of the season.

Nadal roared back after losing the 75-minute opening set, which Gasquet claimed on his sixth set point after saving two set points for Nadal.

"It was a very tough first set," Nadal said. "I had chances, I was up a a break twice.

"But Richard played well to beat me in the set. In the second I had to stay positive and concentrated."