The efforts of the Mayor of London, Mr Ken Livingstone, to be let back into the Labour Party yesterday received backing from the highest level yet, Cabinet Office Minister Dr Mo Mowlam.
She indicated her disappointment at Labour's mayoral selection process which led to Mr Livingstone standing as an independent against the official candidate, Mr Frank Dobson, and his expulsion from the party for five years.
Dr Mowlam was asked on BBC's Breakfast With Frost if she would like to see her friend back before then and she replied: "I don't know about the time scale but I'd like to see him back in the party.
"I think it was very unfortunate he left. I didn't support that at all and I think Frank Dobson fought a good battle for us.
"But I'm a believer in inclusivity. People ought to be in rather than out."
Her remarks follow the insistence of party officials that the expulsion was for five years and the rules would not be changed just to suit Mr Livingstone.
However, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, has hinted rules could be changed to allow Mr Livingstone, MP for Brent East, an early return.
Mr Livingstone has previously said he expected to return before the party conference in September and claimed recently a debate was going on within the highest levels of the Labour Party about when to allow him back.
He is said to believe that, without healing the rift, Labour risks losing marginal seats at the next general election.
The former Northern Ireland secretary said on the same programme there were people outside but "close" to the British government who wanted to see a dent in her huge public popularity.
The comments follow similar remarks made by Dr Mowlam earlier this year that elements in Whitehall were trying to "put the knife in", following reports that treatment for a benign brain tumour had left her unable to do her job.
She suggested yesterday that "somebody" close to the cabinet who once opposed her had now left their position, but influential people still wanted to see her become less popular.
"I think there was somebody out [to get me] to begin with, no doubt about that," she told Breakfast With Frost.
"I don't think they were in cabinet I think they were close to and are now no longer there."
Pressed to name names Dr Mowlam said: "I've never thought it was Tony [Blair] or Alastair [Campbell, the Prime Minister's press secretary]. I don't think it's anybody in government."