REID STILL IN RACE TO BE PM

The warning dashed a concerted drive by Mr Brown's allies to give the impression that Labour's leadership race was all but over. And it threatened to reignite Labour's bitter war of succession after weeks of an uneasy truce.

One source close to Dr Reid said: "It is rubbish to say John has ditched plans to mount a challenge." In the past three days, a series of Cabinet ministers, speaking anonymously, have claimed no serious contender would try to stop

Mr Brown becoming Prime Minister when Mr Blair steps down next year.

Yesterday, Wales and Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain became the first Cabinet Minister to declare publicly that a genuine leadership contest was not likely.

"You require around 44 nominations from members of the Parliamentary Labour Party," he said. "You can't force people to nominate somebody just to

contrive a contest. Nobody can contrive an artificial contest, somehow frogmarch someone on to the ballot paper."

Mr Hain, who wants to become John Prescott's successor as Labour Deputy Leader, claimed that his party generally accepted that Chancellor Brown would become the next Prime Minister.

"Gordon Brown is the outstanding alternative and successor to Tony Blair – everybody understands they are the twin architects of Labour's extraordinary success," he said.

"That's the reason people see him, as I do, as the natural successor to Tony."