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Bush winds up tour of Europe ... minister John Prescott has warned that any leadership challenge to Gordon Brown would be "pointless" and "divisive".

He said no potential successor had the "right skills" to replace the PM.

Writing in his first blog entry on a website used by party activists, he predicted Mr Brown would be "renewed and ready" after his summer holiday.

Current deputy leader Harriet Harman said Labour was focusing on leading the country, not plotting against Mr Brown.

Britain was lucky to have Mr Brown at the helm during the present economic difficulties, Ms Harman told the BBC.

It would be wrong to turn it into a political crisis, she added.

'Unprecedented problems'

The BBC has reported that some senior Labour Party figures, including former ministers, are considering possible options for unseating Mr Brown.

And numerous reports of plotting in the party following the by-election defeat at Glasgow East early on Friday have appeared in the press.

Writing on the Labourhome website, Mr Prescott says he hopes "fellow Labour MPs will take a break too - both from the Westminster bubble and divisive talk of a pointless leadership challenge".

Noting that he had worked with the last three leaders and all cabinet ministers since 1997, Mr Prescott added: "We have, undoubtedly, some very talented men and women.

"But with respect, none of them at the present moment has anywhere near the skills and experience, nationally and internationally, to lead this great party and country as we tackle these unprecedented major global problems."

(BBC)

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