Alan Johnson in bid for Deputy PM

Alan Johnson has publicly announced that he intends to stand for deputy leader of the Labour party.

The bid to succeed John Prescott now has two confirmed candidates, after a similar announcement by International Development Secretary Hilary Benn last week.

Mr Johnson ruled himself out of the leadership race and given his support to Gordon Brown, calling the Chancellor the "vastly superior" candidate to be the next Prime Minister.

Cabinet minister Peter Hain, constitutional affairs minister Harriet Harman and backbencher Jon Cruddas have all said they want to run for the deputy leadership.

There have also been consistent rumours that former Home and Foreign Secretary and current Leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw, is interested in Mr Prescott's job. Straw's recent comments on Muslim women's wearing of veils has galvanised supporters who see him as a trusted and brave candidate.

Hilary Benn and Alan Johnson are the front-runners in the contest.

However Mr Johnson, Education Secretary since the May reshuffle, has stated he already has the 44 MPs needed to make a bid for the number two job. With those nominations he can stand for deputy leader. A third of votes come from MPs and MEPs, another third from the Constituency Labour Parties and the final third from the trade unions.

56-year-old Johnson is the first trade union leader to sit in Cabinet for 40 years, and can expect strong backing from his former comrades.

A postman by trade, London-born Johnson rose through the ranks of the Communication Workers Union to become general secretary.

In an open letter to Labour Party members, published on Friday, he said: "I am not putting myself forward for leader - not least because there's a more experienced and obvious candidate.
"But I will be able to assist, support, cajole and complement the person who carries the heaviest of all political burdens."

He pledged submission to the new Prime Minister, saying the deputy role mean being "subordinate to and supportive of the leader, (carrying) out whatever duties the leader sees as being essential to securing a fourth term in office".

There is still confusion as to whether John Reid or John Hutton will be putting themselves forward as the best person to secure that fourth term. Left winger John McDonnell has pledged to stand, but there is skepticism he can get the support of 44 colleagues.

Last week, people close to Reid were signaling that a coronation for Gordon Brown was looking more likely, but Thursday former environment minister Michael Meacher indicated he might oppose Gordon Brown as a centre-left candidate.