Gordon Brown has yet to convince many MPs in Labour’s most marginal seats that he is the right man to lead the party to a fourth general election victory, a survey by The Times has found.

The survey, of the 100 Labour MPs with the smallest majorities, found a marked lack of enthusiasm at the prospect of Mr Brown taking over. But there was no agreement on an alternative candidate. David Miliband was mentioned by only a handful of MPs, as were John Reid and Charles Clarke.

Even so, more than a third of those who gave their views — both critics and supporters of the Chancellor — want a “proper” leadership election with a challenger of Cabinet rank.

One backbencher nervous of a Brown leadership said: “There are about 50 Labour MPs who don’t have great hopes of survival in 2009-10. Every morning every single MP goes onto a website called www.politicalcalculus.co.uk, which predicts each day which seats will change hands in the election.”

The findings are a blow to the Chancellor, who the Conservatives say would have no mandate as Prime Minister after Tony Blair’s pledge before the last election to stand for a full third term.

Labour MPs in marginals were dismissive of the chances of Michael Meacher or John McDonnell, the two other declared candidates. None thought either would receive the 45 nominations from MPs required to stand.

The Times spoke to 46 of the MPs in Labour’s 100 most marginal seats and established the views of 16 others by speaking to their friends or from past comments.

Of these, 34 were supporters of Mr Brown while 28 wanted a leadership election, were uncommitted or were undecided or declined to say. Of the group of 28, 10 wanted a challenger to come forward and 14 regarded Mr Brown’s leadership as inevitable but looked upon it without enthusiasm.

The Chancellor, bruised after polls suggesting that David Cameron would be well ahead with Mr Brown as his opponent and that the Tories had overtaken Labour in being seen as more economically competent, counter-attacked last night. His allies released a survey of business and media heads by Opinion Leader Research indicating that they favoured Mr Brown over the Tory leader on several indicators.

Today Mr Brown will try to burnish his economic credentials ahead of next month’s Budget by predicting strong and balanced growth and a fall in inflation in the year ahead.

David Crausby, MP for Bolton North East, said: “I don’t see any real serious challenge to Gordon Brown at all. I am not too happy with it but I suppose I will have to vote for him because I don’t really see an alternative.”

A member of the Government, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Everybody acknowledges he has been a very successful Chancellor but they have not seen him as leader. That is why, I suspect, there is this feeling of the great unknown.”

Times Recommends

• Forces chief faces new battle - the economy
• Seven days that shook the world
• Icelanders wake up and smell ... the fish