Report: Cabinet plotting Brown ouster

LONDON, July 27 (UPI) -- Despite protestations to the contrary, senior Cabinet members are plotting to topple British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, The Sunday Times of London reported.

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper said Labor Party ministers unhappy with Brown's leadership in the wake of a disastrous by-election loss last week are coalescing behind Justice Minister Jack Straw as a "save the party" replacement for Brown.

Unnamed members of Parliament say some Cabinet members allied to Straw have been meeting to determine how much support he would have as a replacement prime minister and have also been calling other members to lay the groundwork for a possible "autumn coup," the newspaper said.

The Sunday Times said former Home Office Minister George Howarth was helping to lead the effort. Howarth said while party members had to think about its leadership, he denied he was acting on behalf of Straw.

"Jack is not up to anything," he told the newspaper. "If anyone thinks I am collecting names for him, they are mistaken."