Benn brushes off 'favourite' rumour

12 April 2012

International Development Secretary Hilary Benn has brushed off speculation that he has been anointed Gordon Brown's favoured candidate for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party.

Some Westminster observers believe the Chancellor has picked Mr Benn out of the large field of contenders as his preferred deputy if he becomes leader, as expected.

But Mr Benn said he had not asked for Mr Brown's support and indicated he had not received any assurance he was the Chancellor's choice.

Asked if it was true that Mr Brown wanted him to be deputy leader, Mr Benn told BBC1's Sunday AM: "That's news to me. I told Gordon that I was running and I haven't asked for his support. The fact is that it is for Labour Party members to make that choice.

"I hope and believe that he is going to be the next leader of the Labour Party and the next Prime Minister, but the choice will be made not by any individual, but by Labour Party members, MPs, trade unionists affiliated to the party.

"It's going to be a choice, it's a democracy, it's going to be a vote."

Mr Benn ducked the question of whether Prime Minister Tony Blair had Mr Brown in mind when he said his successor would attack the Conservatives with a "big clunking fist".

"He's a very formidable political figure, is Gordon," he responded. "I think people look at his record as Chancellor - the most successful Labour Chancellor we have ever had.

"And when people get into those polling booths at the next election, one of the things that will be in their minds is that we have had economic stability which has allowed us to invest in public services, there's been real change in the country, and people will think, perhaps, we want to stick with that."

Mr Benn said he saw the Deputy Leader's role as being partly about ensuring the party's voice is heard in Government and providing the Leader with honest advice. And he sketched out what he believed he could offer as deputy: "I think we need a different kind of politics, a politics which shows that we work best when we are alongside people, helping them to achieve the things they want."

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