21.   For the leadership position itself, the poll confirms shadow employment secretary Tony Blair as the runaway favourite.

22.   His office said there would be no reprisals against Short, who two weeks ago was demoted from shadow transport secretary to the overseas development brief.

23.   Blair, who was the shadow home secretary, defeated acting leader Margaret Beckett and shadow transport secretary John Prescott.

24.   But shadow health secretary Harriet Harman said the move proved the Government had lost the battle for public opinion.

25.   Labour shadow foreign secretary Robin Cook said the ICM poll might even help in quashing complacency among confident Labour voters.

26.   On Tuesday, Michaelides goes to London for talks with Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind and shadow foreign secretary Robin Cook.

27.   Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram urged Straw Wednesday to insist that both the BBC and British observers be allowed into Zimbabwe for the polls.

28.   Shadow trade secretary Robin Cook and shadow foreign secretary Jack Cunningham meanwhile said they were not contenders, joining shadow chancellor Gordon Brown, who had already stood down.