Nominations open today for the contest to succeed Tony Blair as Labour Party leader and British prime minister as two potential challengers to Gordon Brown continue to assess their levels of support.
So far, Chancellor Brown is the only contender guaranteed of a place in the race, which was triggered by Mr Blair's announcement last week that he would resign on June 27th.
Left-wing MPs Michael Meacher and John McDonnell are meeting again today to assess whether they have enough backers to make it onto the ballot paper or whether they should pool their support and put forward one candidate.
Candidates need the support of 45 MPs to get on the ballot, but both Mr Meacher and Mr McDonnell are struggling to meet that quota.
Mr Brown (56), who has been waiting in the wings to succeed Mr Blair for years, is the race's hot favourite.
In a debate with Mr Meacher and Mr McDonnell yesterday, Mr Brown portrayed his potential opponents as representatives of the old Labour policies of tax-and-spend that proved its downfall in the 1980s.
Mr Brown has also unveiled a number of policies including plans for new environmentally friendly homes.
Nominations for both the leadership and deputy leadership contests open today and close on Thursday.
There are six potential candidates for deputy leader and that race looks like a close contest. Results of the ballot will be announced at a Labour conference in Manchester on June 24th, three days before Mr Blair has said he will resign.