Miliband's tenure on brink

A poll has revealed that fewer than half of the Labour voters approve of Ed Miliband's party leadership. Photo / AP

Dissatisfied senior frontbench Labour ministers consider calling for leader to stand down.

Ed Miliband's leadership of the British Labour Party was plunged into fresh crisis as senior Labour MPs revealed that at least 20 shadow ministers were on the brink of calling for him to stand down.

The frontbenchers are willing to go public with their demand if the former Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, indicates that he would be prepared to step into the breach, should Labour be left leaderless just months from a general election.

The senior status of the potential rebels and their numbers represent another grievous blow to Miliband's authority, after attempts by his aides to minimise the extent of dissatisfaction in the party.

The rebels are drawn from across the political spectrum within the party and say they are airing their discontent in response to attempts by Miliband's aides to belittle the depth and reach of unhappiness among his MPs.

Three senior Labour MPs contacted the Observer yesterday to confirm that the frontbenchers were ready to strike.

One said: "It has reached critical mass now." Another said: "There isn't a letter [demanding Miliband's resignation] but there could be one very quickly."

A third said: "There is a significant number of frontbenchers who are concerned about Ed's leadership - or lack of leadership - and would be ready to support someone who is a viable candidate. Alan is that candidate. If Alan indicated he would do it, there would be a massive move."

The development comes as an Opinium/Observer poll suggests that, for the first time, fewer than half of Labour voters (49 per cent) approve of Miliband's leadership - although the party is on 32 per cent, still ahead of the Tories by three points.

The Observer understands that senior MPs have been taking soundings through the last week about the prospect of removing Miliband just six months before the 2015 general election.

The ringleaders of the prospective coup have collected 20 names of frontbench colleagues - about one-fifth of shadow ministers - who expressed concern at the seriousness of the party's plight and would act if Johnson offered any encouragement. They believe others would also support the move.

Johnson appeared to suggest he was not willing to step in, in the event of Miliband stepping down. He told the Times: "For the avoidance of doubt, I have no intention of going back to frontline politics."

However, one leader of the rebellion said he believed that this was not a categorical rejection, and that Labour MPs would be looking for any hope of a change of heart.

It has been a harrowing week for the Labour leader, whose aides have blamed the rightwing press for exaggerating the scale of the discontent in the party.

A senior member of the prospective coup told the Observer: "There are 20 frontbenchers who are actively considering what is best to do. They are from all areas of the party, bar the hard left."

The source added that the party would not want a leadership contest so close to the general election.

Candidates such as shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham, and shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna would all be contentious and were not regarded as viable. Instead, the shadow ministers want Johnson to be crowned as leader without a contest.

- Observer