Brown critic 'ends hostilities'

One of Gordon Brown's leading critics has said his campaign for a change in Labour's party leadership is over.

Labour MP George Howarth told a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting that at a time of national crisis, the Labour Party must come together.

Mr Brown's summer has been dominated by speculation about a possible leadership challenge but Mr Howarth said at the meeting that "hostilities are over".

The new cabinet is meeting for the first time since the recess.

The economic crisis is likely to dominate discussions at Tuesday's cabinet meeting.