Cruddas rules out bid for Labour leadership

Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas announced tonight he would not be standing against the Miliband brothers for the party leadership.

As the potential field for the party contest continued to narrow, Mr Cruddas said he did not aspire to the top job.

The Dagenham MP, who has strong union backing and finished third in the 2007 deputy leadership contest, said "many people" had urged him to stand and he had given it "serious thought".

But he added: "I do not feel that I am in a position to deliver on the hopes and expectations that will be placed in the next leader."