'Why rebels will not move me'

Cabinet members like me are said to be the target of the small but persistent campaign for a leadership election.

By threatening to damage Labour, some hope they will force "the Cabinet to act".

I support Gordon Brown because I believe no one else has such a good understanding of Britain's challenges and the ability to do something about them.

It's been a tough year. We've made some mistakes but it's the extraordinary twists of global economics that have changed people's lives and changed politics.

Talking to my constituents, I hear no great desire for a Tory government. We can win if our explanation of what has gone wrong rings true. But this campaign by a handful of MPs is prepared to destabilise and disrupt the positive Labour message. They seem to think the threat of making Labour unelectable for years will make people like me get rid of Gordon.

Suppose we did. Do they have a candidate? Not as far as any of us can see. Do they have a more convincing explanation of Britain's fundamental problems? Not that I have heard.

Of course we've got to make our case more effectively. I believe that Gordon and the Cabinet will do so. But threats and demands that something must be done, without a clue what to do next, is the politics of despair and destruction.