Gordon Brown survives political challenge

LONDON, June 9 (UPI) -- An anticipated Cabinet revolt against British Prime Minister Gordon Brown failed to materialize, political analysts said Tuesday.

Brown survived immediate threats to his premiership after adopting a penitent attitude during a Monday night meeting with his party's members of Parliament and moved back into the government's driver's seat Tuesday by leading the first meeting of a reshuffled Cabinet, The Times of London reported.

The minister once tabbed as most likely to succeed Brown in a Cabinet coup, David Miliband, told reporters he had no intention of moving against Brown, saying the prime minister was "very much" back at the government's helm.

"The Labor Party does not want a new leader, there is no vacancy, there is no challenger," Miliband said. "The leading contender, Alan Johnson, is backing the prime minister to the hilt. So that is that," he said.

Despite his political survival, Brown has been weakened by the upheavals surrounding nine defections from his Cabinet and dissatisfaction with his handling of the parliamentary expense claims scandal, The Times said.

The Labor Party's disastrous showing in last week's local and European Parliament elections also have ratcheted up the pressure on Brown, observers said.