Plan B Forum

MPs from Australia's ruling Labor Party meet shortly for a leadership ballot pitting Prime Minister Julia Gillard against her longtime foe, Kevin Rudd.

Ms Gillard, who ousted Mr Rudd as prime minister in June 2010, called the vote after weeks of speculation.

While she is tipped to win the secret ballot on Monday (late Sunday GMT), many MPs are said to remain undecided.

Mr Rudd says he has the backing of some senior ministers but has pledged her his "unequivocal" support if she wins.

He came to power with an electoral landslide in 2007 after more than a decade of conservative rule and enjoyed some of the highest popularity ratings for a prime minister in years.

However, he went on to lose the confidence of colleagues over his environmental and taxation policies.

After being deposed by Ms Gillard, he returned as foreign minister, a post from which he dramatically resigned on Tuesday.

There are very few actual political differences between the two politicians, the BBC's Duncan Kennedy reports from Sydney, so the contest is more about personal style, temperament and the ability to take on the opposition. I await retard's insulting Aus with glee.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17173079

Gob wrote:Yep, Kev should have come out and challenged her a fortnight back, when her standing in the polls was at its lowest.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has beaten Kevin Rudd in today's Labor leadership ballot by 71 votes to 31.

Ms Gillard had been widely expected to win this morning's vote, after last-minute lobbying by Mr Rudd's camp at the weekend failed to win over undecided MPs.

Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd are expected to make statements to reporters soon.

The PM will then lead Labor MPs in what is expected to be a fiery Question Time.

Figures from both camps have called for Labor to close ranks in the wake of the unprecedented blood-letting which erupted after Mr Rudd resigned as foreign minister last week.

The decision to retain Ms Gillard in the top job came despite a flurry of polls showing Mr Rudd is significantly more popular with voters.

Today's Newspoll shows Mr Rudd trouncing both Ms Gillard and the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister.

Earlier today, Mr Rudd vowed not to "initiate" another tilt at the leadership but, significantly, did not rule out launching another challenge if he were to be drafted by MPs or if a third candidate emerged in coming months.

"I would not initiate a further challenge against Julia," he told Channel Seven.

He said he would work to "bring people together" but also hinted that some resentments would remain.

"Obviously, those things never fully and finally heal but, you know something, people get on with the business because it's more important than what happens in the Canberra beltway," he said.

More to come.

Crackpot wrote:

Gob wrote:Yep, Kev should have come out and challenged her a fortnight back, when her standing in the polls was at its lowest.

was that when she was being drug around by her body guards?

JUST when I thought the row over the Labor leadership couldn't get any worse, it did.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/ ... z1o81ifarF