Labour deputy candidate calls for Iraq pull-out

One of the candidates in the race for the Labour deputy leadership has called for British troops to be pulled out of Iraq, as pressure grows on Gordon Brown to change direction over the Middle East.

Jon Cruddas, who is gaining ground in the contest after starting as an outsider, broke ranks by calling for the withdrawal of troops during a hustings on BBC Newsnight last night. It is the first time that the issue has been centre stage during the campaign and it could embarrass Mr Brown, who has loyally stood by Tony Blair's commitment to leave the troops in place until the "job is done".

The call to withdraw troops could have a powerful appeal in the constituency Labour parties (CLP), which make up a third of the electoral college.

Hilary Benn, son of the veteran Labour campaigner Tony Benn, appeared to have opened a lead in the deputy leader race after a slow start, with 29 CLP nominations - including that of Jack Straw (Blackburn), who is also Mr Brown's campaign manager.

Mr Benn used the hustings to stake his claim to continue the deputy's job as a high-profile role in the mold of the outgoing deputy John Prescott, as both a cabinet minister and an international spokesman for Britain. But he said he did not believe that the deputy leader should be made deputy prime minister.

Mr Benn disagreed with Mr Cruddas and Hazel Blears, the party chairman, who argued that the deputy leader should act principally as a sounding board for the Labour grass roots. Mr Benn said the party should continue to have a chairman, but he said in future he or she should be elected rather than appointed by the prime minister.

The Cruddas camp claimed that it had 15 CLP nominations, with a further 14 yet to be published on the Labour Party website.

Harriet Harman's supporters said she had 14 CLP nominations, but they were of a wider geographical spread than her rivals. She claimed she could provide a better appeal for women voters on a joint ticket with Mr Brown. She also called for Tory divisions to be exploited once the Labour period of introspection was over.

"The Tories are a policy- free zone. Cameron's all spin and photo opportunities. He is committed to nothing - except getting the Tories into power. As we've seen in recent days, when he tries to make policy his party splits - and one thing the voters turn away from is a divided party," she said.

Alan Johnson also argued last night that he was the candidate who was best suited to work alongside Mr Brown. The Education Secretary cited his experience in three cabinet posts as well as his earlier career as general secretary of the Communication Workers' Union.

Supporters of Ms Blears, who is fighting the contest on an unashamedly New Labour platform, claim all her rival candidates are trying to appeal to the left in an attempt to pick up support. The party chair urged the party to stay "firmly camped on the centre-ground of politics, where elections are won and lost".

Peter Hain said he would dedicate himself to "bringing the millions of progressive voters that have drifted away from us home."