Labor MPs 'mutiny on the bounty' against Oz PM Kevin Rudd's leadership

Melbourne, Jun 19 (ANI): To make way for Julia Gillard as early as next week, key Labor MPs are reportedly preparing to move against Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's leadership.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard however said on Friday, that she had not been approached to run for the leadership and that Rudd had made it clear he intended to lead Labor to the election and serve a full term.

According to News Ltd newspapers, Labor MPs it surveyed believe that the Rudd Government's support has tanked in western Sydney, Western Australia and Queensland, and that Labor should change leaders to restore confidence or risk losing the election.

At least 10 MPs in marginal seats contradicted the Prime Minister's suggestion that the negotiations with miners over the tax could last for weeks or months, The Age reports.

The misery of Labor is expected to grow this weekend, with an expected loss in the by-election for the Labor-held state seat of Penrith in western Sydney and a swing against the state government of 10-20 per cent, the paper said.

Penrith sits in the federal seat of Lindsay and some MPs fear its loss could foreshadow a string of potential losses in federal Labor-held seats in western and southwestern Sydney. (ANI)