AN MP has called for a leadership election due to Labour's falling popularity.

Labour's MP for Lewisham West Jim Dowd was among a number of other party members calling for a leadership election which could have ousted Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

But Labour's National Executive Committee has today (September 16) rejected the call for nomination papers to be issued ahead of the party's conference in Manchester.

Mr Dowd told News Shopper: "I wrote to the general secretary asking for nomination papers.

"The prospects at the next general election for Labour are not very good."

He added: "It's a very difficult issue because I don't know anybody in the party who's happy about the position we're in.

"I believe we need to do something and we need to do something dramatic.

"We need to change and if that means changing the leader then so be it."