Northern Ireland Secy eyes for Labour's Deputy leadership

London, Sep 13 (UNI) Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary is to stand for Labour's next deputy leader, claiming he is best placed to reconnect the party with the Government.

He confirmed his intention to stand for the job, saying he will be able to restore the ''shattered progressive consensus''.

''I have been encouraged by unions, MPs and rank-and-file party members. I have been loyal to Prime Minister Tony Blair and will show the same commitment to Mr Gordon Brown, whom ''no-one could or should beat'' to the next leadership,'' he said, speaking at the TUC conference in Brighton.

He said he will equally be loyal to Gordon Brown, who was the other towering figure of the Government, and although Mr Gordon had welcomed a contest, he believed no-one could or should beat Gordon.

''I take no-one's support for granted - not unions, members or MPs - although all have encouraged me to run. I believe I can bind back together the Government with the party.

''I have long argued for a better way of agreeing policy - not just handing down decisions- and generating genuine two-way dialogue between the leadership and the party.'' He said he can support Mr Gordon in the task of reuniting the shattered progressive coalition that Mr Tony and Mr Gordon successfully brought together in 1997.

He praised Mr Blair and said people will realise what they had lost once Mr Blair quits.

''I intend to tirelessly devote the next few weeks to complete the process of restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland, which I believe will then be Tony Blair's proudest achievement,'' he added.

UNI XC KD VP1047