Article: BROWN: NOW THE KNIVES ARE OUT; Victorious: SNP's John Mason (2) The Premier laughs at adversity & (3) in contrast to stony-faced colleagues Harriet Harman, Ed Balls, Shaun Woodward, John Hutton, Jacqui Smith, Caroline Flint and Ruth Kelly.

Byline: Benedict Brogan, Michael Lea

LABOUR is facing an imminent leadership crisis in the wake of its by-election disaster.

Gordon Brown will come under pressure from senior Cabinet ministers to stand down 'within weeks' in the interests of the party. Justice Secretary Jack Straw and Geoff Hoon, the Chief Whip, emerged as the key figures with enough clout to confront the Prime Minister with the scale of the task facing him in the wake of defeat in Glasgow East.

It is understood that a group of disgruntled junior ministers is ready to resign in protest at Mr Brown's failings if Cabinet ministers fail to act. Friends of Mr Straw dismissed talk of an imminent ...

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