I think Misses Harman will be good for country. Makes good laws for ladies.

We need lots of ladies in parliament not boring old mens talking rubbish. They blabber all day but when tide goes out they have no pants on.

Xena Light, London,

Harriet for leader? A dream ticket for the Conservatives. And as the gentleman said, a good laugh for the nation as a whole. Miliband would not be much better. Labour would do better to stick to a Callaghan figure and minimize its losses. But of course cunning old Gordon got rid any rivals.

Yorkshire Tory, York, N.Yorks

Harman's chances in any leadership contest have been overstated...she only beat Johnson to the deputy's job by a very small margin, voted for by the same electoral college which would vote on the leadership, and which would probably take a more critical view of her capabilities for the PMship.

Roy Pinney, WSM,

I havent known, in reality any other government but labour, so i have known nothing but a rather benine, sterile westminster. If there is one thing anyone can take away from this is that its absolutely fascinating.

nick green, bedford, uk

Brown should have called the election when he had chance at least perhaps labour would have scraped a victory and people would have no other choice but to take labour, instead they feel cheated with no choice.

lee harrison, leeds, uk

Out of the frying pan into the fire. Nothing more.

Paul Davis, York, uk

As is ever the case, these things go in cycles, for each gov't has its sell-by date. Labour have reached theirs, somewhat suddenly, but now quite obviously. The lies wear thin, the think tanks run dry, desperate plotting commences and the call of the wilderness becomes irresistble.

Douglas, London, UK

Rene Moya, Los Angeles... what constitution are you referring to?

Alex, London,

Labour are now unelectable, those within the party who wish to cling on to any kind of political ambition should leave and join the Lib-Dems, probably the ONLY opposition party after the next election. That's if the Libdems will have them. How ironic if Labour only got 10% of the vote.....

Howard, Manchester,

Neither Hectoring Harman nor Miniscule Milliband have a ha'porth chance of winning a General Election. No man in his right mind would vote for Harman; Milliband connived to sign the Lisbon ConTreaty without a Referendum & is a hopeless Foreign Sec. We cannot have another imposed PM - election now!

Donna Walker, Effingham, England

Funny how it takes an outsider to remind Brits about their own constitution....but really, you should remember you live in a representative democracy, and a parliamentary one at that. You elected a PARTY, and you did so for up to 5 years (2010). John Major held on for 5 years before an election!

Rene Moya, Los Angeles, USA

I really think Brown should resign and take the peerage. He might even lead the Labour Lords - couldn't be much more low-profile and mumbling than Catherine (Baroness) Ashton, a.k.a. Mrs Peter Kellner, the current incumbent.

But heaven help a Harman succession.

Frances Rawe, Gloucester,

Perhaps the last hope for Democracy is that the Queen will use her Reserve Powers, refuse to appoint the proposed replacement for Gordon Brown, and dissolve this parliament.

Bill, Suzhou, China

Harriet Harman would destroy the UK faster than a rat up a drain pipe. We would become an entire nation of people on paid permanent maternity leave with ZERO production

shane, guildford, england

With the possible exception of Hazel Blears, I can't think of anyone more dreadful than Harriet Harman to lead the Labour Party and/or the country.

Johnny Fox, London,

Harriet Harman would be the best thing for Britain and the most apposite for New Labour. She will wipe both off the map for twenty years.

Chris King, Chagford, England

So, the plan is: Miliband takes over and calls for an election in the spring. In the meantime he consolidates his position with a few popularist gimmicks and prepares to hand over a very dodgy economy to Cameron. Not a difficult opposition seeing the problems a future government will have to face.

tom, madrid, spain

Harriet Harman, haha! Only giving more points to the tories.

Matthew, London,

The birthplace of Democracy ? How very sad that Labour has bought such utter disgust on the role of politicians. There is no democracy or the British people, and not self serving Labour politicians, would get to choose who runs the country.
It seems our democratic rights don't exist any more.

kevin, Ferrara, Italy

Paul Kelly I have to disagree. I think the problem lies not with the Labour Party itself, but simply with it's leader Gordon Brown, who has been a disastrous PM. He must be the most hated and unpopular PM ever since Anthony Eden who's reputation and credebility was destroyed because of Suez Crisis.

Patrick, Wellingborough, UK

And so the Parliamentary Pantomime rolls on, really, how can we take any of them seriously?, there is not a single Statesman among them. Never was an Electorate so callously ignored, the price will be paid at the next Election.

Clive Burghard, Lancing, ENGLAND

The only comment worth making on Ms Harman's protestation of loyalty is the famous dictum of Otto von Bismarck: "No rumour is worth believing until it has been officially denied."

Mike, London, UK

Hope youre reading all this Gordon. On your laptop.

Assuming of course ,its not been stolen.

ronnie, bucks, UK

There are only two choices: a government which perpetuates the illusion of endless prosperity, or a government which assums responsibility by telling the voters that the good times are usually followed by recession. Blair was the former, Brown is the latter. Is this why he must be replaced?

Dan, London, Uk

The game is up for Labour. Thank God that a regime even more venal than that of the Thatcher/Major years is biting the dust. Don't stick all the blame on Brown though - this is the legacy of the disgustingly corrupt Blair. But what dreadful alternatives are offered by the Tories and LibDems!

David Russell, Sheffield, UK

Oh fabulous: Miliband (real world work experience: ZERO) and Hatemen (realworld work experience: ZERO). How much worse could Labour make things? Much, much worse.

Nick, Rotherham, UK

Brown should be made to stay on instead of handing this poisoned chalice to 'Armen,Millibrand as he was a disaster at No11 and along with Blair oversaw the mess we are in now.'Arriet 'Armen would be a BIGGER mistake and the country will take years to turn around.

Keith Mullen, Peterlee, UK

Yet more disorganisation and timewsting by this rdiculous excuse for a government. Call an election by all means, but do us all a favour and make it a general one!!
Come on Team Cameron!!

Ben, London, UK

it does not really matter who would replace Brown. It's all over for Labour. They had their chance and blew it.

paul kelly, limehouse, england

Miliband has proven to be a lightweight; the worst Foreign Minister I can remember. Harman-Smith-Johnson; no ticket sales there. It looks as though the safe route for Labour is to go with Straw who as an honest & competent politician at least has an understanding of the int'l stage. Cameron by Nov!

Richard Hoblyn FSI, Limoges, FRANCE

If you are a Labour supporter why not 'parachute' one Anthony Blair into a safe Labour seat, then elect him as the Labour leader. Who knows he may just be able to pull the next election out of the bag. After all he does not appear to be making any headway as the UNs middle east envoy.

paul, birmingham, uk

Speculative claptrap designed to create negativity and motivated by an apparent obsessive need to KEEP trying to portray Gordon in a bad light........doubt if you will have the depth of character to print opposing views which inject reality into your world of fiction...but we will see..

Eric, Southwick, England

Brown has been left to clean up the mess left by Blair during his 10 years of acting as the roving PM rather than dealing with his own country and the issues important to his own electorate. Another 'Blairite' as a leader will be a disaster. Give Brown a chance, there's no better alternative.

Linda Green, Sutton, England

If Brown is pushed, I wonder if he'd resign as an MP (like Blair). Then there would be another byelection. Would Labour be prepared for yet another defeat !!

Jan, London, UK

Glad to see that Harriet Harman puts equality at the heart of her agenda.I trust that includes giving men equal rights to women.

Andy, Bristol, UK

I wonder of Brown has sent his conspiring colleagues a postcard from Southwold, "Wish you were all here, then I could keep an eye on you". The whole thing is becoming as ridiculous as a music hall farse. Time to let the country decide, or at least the 27 to 30 per cent who matter in UK Elections.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Look this is just spin. Whoever is PM gets a great pension & perks forevermore no mattter how long they're PM for. Much better than anything the rest of us can hope for. All Labour are going to do is rotate Lab MPs as PM to max their perk benefit. i.e. a new PM every 3 days for the next two years

Rose, Stirling , UK

Didn't I see Harperson has one of the safest Lab seats in the country - If she is elected leader they
will lose so many seats that choosing her might in retrospect paradoxically seem to have been prescient . They won't have to choose another leader to replace the one who lost his/her seat

Peter, Crawley, UK

David Cameron will be in No10 by October.

Nick Dixon, Sutton Coldfield, England

Agree with Chris,Preston re:Harman or Milliband as the prime minister. I really ,really don't think so.Not for one nightmarish moment. Dream on.

v.j, london, uk

Labour are blatantly corrupt now. If they really had the country interests at heart they would have a general election now.
They are not going to win the next election whoever is in charge. So have the election now, then they can rebuld with new leader.Not Milliband, he has same problem as M Howard

ian, geneva,

For goodness sake Labour is, for the time being, doomed no matter who their leader is. I doubt they could win the next general election even if Churchill came back from the dead to lead them!

I do feel rather sorry for Brown - he has had the worst luck of any Prime Minister since Callaghan.

T, Reading, UK

The last person to say "this is my moment" was Martine McCutcheon in her debut single, and look what happened to her career. Let's hope the same happens to Harman and we can put this Labour government out of its misery.

Rich, London,

That means we will have two unelected Prime Ministers in one electoral session. Did it happen before?

geoff, london, uk

Power power power- it's all the politicos give a damn about. Trust none of them. Not a one. Bloody shamocracy I call it... There, that's better. Now I'm going for a lie down.

eric, paris,

Gordon Brown spent almost 15 years plotting against Tony Blair. He should not be surprised if the Labour party, accustomed to so much political infighting, merely continues what it has got used to.
One thing is paramount: if there is a new Labour leader, there must be an immediate general election.

Carl, Brightn,

I don't know which is worse, they both send shivers down my spine

Mark, Wycombe, ENGLAND

I really should be rejoicing, but strangely I am not. The lack of genuine intellect let alone "bog standard" wisdom in NuLabour is no cause for celebration.
The very point of a Parliamentary democracy is its reliance on a astute,reliable,intelligent HM Oppostion.
A role impossible for NuLabour

Peter Bolt, Redditch, UK

Also, Milliband must be insane to run now. As the only attractive future leader for Labour he can't afford to ruin his image now. Why not accept the defeat of the party at the next election and then run against the Tories after they've had to deal with 4 years of sharp economic decline?

Amos, London,

If Harriet Harman were leader then the UK would be on the political and financial rocks in five minutes. This woman has too many axes to grind for any kind of sensible government. Her enemies would work for her downfall with great relish.

Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom

Would it not be better for any new leader of the Labour party to come in after an election defeat and work towards turning the party back into an electable force?
Why risk being associated with a certain Tory win and massive swing away from Labour at the next GE?
It's the economy, stupid!

Jonathan, London,

'The public do not have a say'

That about sum it up, talk about inviting a revolution

AP, Bristol,

Labour MPs, have some dignity!! Just as the Tory popular mandate petered out on the watch of John Major, the same is happening for Labour under Gordon Brown. The electorate clearly wants a change of government and no new labour leader will change that. The parties over ladies and gents. Get real!

Ashley, Plymouth,

Pinch me I think I am in someones nightmare!

Jim, Prudhoe, England

There's a very slim outside chance that Harriet may go for it on the grounds that a few months as PM is better than never, but I don't think anyone in all seriousness would contemplate changing leader again before the election.

That way madness (and many years in the wilderness) lies!

Dave, Edinburgh, Uk

Welcome to the UK- Economy=mess politics=shambles - lost democracy, freedoms, liberties, and privacy. Housing market mess, credit crunch, threats of inflation, unemployment, rising food prices, energy prices - binge drinking, poorly educated population - Brown replaced by Miliband or Harman-Great

SB, Berlin, Germany

"This is my moment!"? What planet is Harriet Harman on?

(Planet Ego, by the looks of it.)

Chris, Preston,

Oh my, as a Labourite the prospect of Harriet Harman as leader is terrifying. It could signal the beginning of Labour's term as third party in the polls. No need to cut off the nose to spite the face.

Amos, London,

Harperson - another one in the Labour herarchy who see the job of Prime Minsister as an end in itself., despite the fact that she has absolutely no talent for the role. She doesn't want it because she thinks she can do some good with it, she wants it because it's there. Nightmare.

Stephen Edwards, Wokingham, UK

I agree - Harperson cannot be allowed to become Prime Minister. The thought is just too ghastly to contemplate. A return to early 1970s loony feminist claptrap is the last thing the men and women of Britain need.

Steve, Macclesfield, UK

TheHouse of Commons is massively overstaffed - we already have plenty of laws. Let's see some redundancies among the MPs and pay based on productivity instead of the John Lewis list gravy train!

Mikey, Bromley, Kent

With friends/colleagues like these who needs enemies? Dissemblers all.

Ian Burgess, Bristol,

Mr Brown should be sent to Brussels as another unelected commissioner, with lots of expenses and no one to report to.

donald, london, uk

We the British Public demand a General Election.
New Labour Ministers cannot be allowed to impose another un-elected Prime Minister upon us.
The survival of democracy here in the UK depends upon us the public deciding who governs us.

Stephen Holmes, Withington , UK

I didn't realise this country was a playground! Grow up Labour and just know when it's time to quit.

Sam Guillen, Fareham, UK

Conservative Labour they are exactly the same.

FB, London,

The Tories must be shaking their heads in disbelief at this spectacle of Labour self destruction. Cameron against Harman? Should that be the general election with the biggest win for the Tories yet to be recorded?

Carl, London,

The man hating Harperson as Prime Minister? I can hardly wait ... to emigrate.

dave, cannock, England

As a supporter of David Cameron and the Conservative Party this is the worst possible news.
With Brown leading Labour into the next election the Tories could not loose.

M.J. Frizell, Payzac, France

Get rid of Blair and replace him with Brown because it's his "turn".

I find it amazing that this nonsense of a man forced Blair to endure and indulge a decade of his pathetic tantrums.

Damian, Manchester,

This sounds like sour grapes over Gordon's refusal to back her when the Abrahams funding scandal broke. There's not a chance in hell that she could lead the party into anything but electoral disaster.

richard, Birmingham,

Harriet Harman, yes please! That choice will truly sink Labour!

Her record of consistent failure in government is matched only by John Prescot!

Perhaps he could come out of retirement and hammer in the final nails of the coffin?

Simon Unsworth, Long Eaton, England

Dream ticket? None of the current high profile Labour ministers are electable. I wouldn't be surprised if Tony re-emerged in the near future...

Ben M-B, London, UK

"The public do not have a say in any contest"

Thats the problem. They dont care about the public. So they won't get back into power for a fair while.

Arthur, Newcastle,

I find it disgraceful that they can just self appoint another prime minister without an election.

David milliband is more unelectable than Mr Brown!

S Bartle, london,

Harman with all her anti-male legislation will never be leader. Milliband has he ever had a job in the real world? Labour are unelectable stick with Brown it will save the party increasing its debt.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

Where's the blanket?
Has it publicly chided the elastic band and marman as being children?

martin, sheffield,

Go for it, and call an election.

i 'll vote Labour. Honest.

ronnie, bucks, UK

'Preparing the ground' is such a fuzzy term - it could mean anything but in this case means nothing. This 'exclusive' is the worst kind of tittle tattle that it's almost a parody of political journalism. If this was a genuine story then other news agencies would take it up ... they won't.

Liam, Glasgow, UK

The Labour Party seems to be full of opportunistic chancers.

JOHN, worthing,

Milliband is increasingly looking like Mr Bean. Is he doing this deliberately to get the comedy vote; or just to distance himself from dour Brown.

kerry livermore, London, England

Harriet Harman- Primeminister? Please NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

John Jackson, Wolverhampton, England

I can't bear to watch - The idea of Harman makes Brown look positively attractive - Labour, bring on the gen. election and put us all out of our misery - You've wrecked the economy enough that the Tories will not be able to fix it and you'll be able to carp without accepting your responsibility.

Andrew J Iddon, London, UK

They just don't get it, do they? Brown is merely the head of a despised regime that hasn't changed despite Blair leaving. The whole 'New Labour' project has been found out. No core principles, no backbone when dealing with the rich and a hope that blaming the world will save them. No it won't!

Bobby Smith, Surrey,

I suppose it does not cross their arrogant little minds that we, the people, might like a say in who is our Prime Minister- yes Harriet and David that means an election and you two out of work, thereafter

peter c, devizes, wessex

When will policians realise that they're doomed to failure if they don't seek a mandate from the public?

I can't wait to see the back of this government.

Toby Donovan, London, UK

Talk of a another change of leader when that party is in government is disturbing, as it does not allow voters to directly choose who is leading them. If Labour want to change leader again during this Parliament a general election must be called.

John Lewis, London, UK

Excellent news for Brown. If you had to pick the two Cabinet Members most deluded about their (very limited) abilities it would be these two, though admittedly there are several close runners. Bring on the race David and Harriet, the country needs a good laugh at the moment.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

When will these idiots realise it's not Brown we despise, it's "New" Labour.

Rod, London, UK