Labor insiders ready for leadership vote next week

 

Labor's leadership crisis appears to be near breaking point with supporters on both sides telling the ABC the brawl could be resolved as early as this time next week. The Labor caucus is due to meet next Tuesday, February 28 unless a special meeting is called to put the party leadership, and therefore the prime ministership, to a vote. An earlier meeting seems unlikely as Kevin Rudd is overseas this week. At this point, it is not clear if the Prime Minister Julia Gillard would call a spill for the leadership or if Mr Rudd would launch a challenge. Factional powerbrokers have told the ABC's political editor Chris Uhlmann the issue must be brought to a head. One member of the Gillard camp says, "There will be an outcome in 10 to 14 days but it's up to Kevin to call it." The source said Mr Rudd is likely to lose and then issued this vicious warning: "We will unleash bloody vengeance on all of those who brought this vampire back to life." Another party insider says, "What we've learnt is there's no amount of damage that Kevin Rudd isn't prepared to inflict on Labor to regain the Prime Ministership." It is widely estimated that around one third of the 103 Labor MPs and Senators back the Prime Minister, another third would fall in behind Mr Rudd and a third are undecided. Some of the latter have told the ABC the leadership issue is "overwound" but has now "got a life of its own". 'Strong support' Today Ms Gillard told reporters in Darwin that she understands some backbenchers have concerns about her leadership, but she is going to keep doing her job. "I have the strong confidence of my colleagues, their strong support, and my focus is on getting on with my job as Prime Minister," she siad. Ms Gillard would not comment on whether a Labor vote was likely or whether she had the numbers to win. "I'm not going to engage in hypotheticals but I'm getting on with the job," she said. Ms Gillard also has rejected any suggestion that a member of her staff was involved in the release of a YouTube video of Mr Rudd swearing while recording a message as prime minister. "There have been some assertions today that somehow this is connected with my office. That is completely untrue," she said. "My office did not have access to the material people have seen on YouTube."