Last Ditch Coup?

Paul Waugh on his Evening Standard blog is reporting rumours of a possible cabinet resignation in protest at Brown's leadership:

“….In the last few hours, the rumours have been swirling around again that a Cabinet minister could quit in protest at Gordon’s leadership. The plotters have certainly asked a sympathetic minister to do so - but whether he will do so is another matter

When I just confronted one Cabinet minister - who had been described in a pre-Christmas plotters meeting as being deeply unhappy - he simply said he didn’t want his name linked in any way to such reports. Perhaps significantly (and he ain’t a usual suspect, believe me), he refused to comment publicly or privately on whether Gordon was leading the party in the right direction.

There is certainly something going on, but with many MPs only just making their way back to Parliament through the snow and wind, it’s difficult to assess how coordinated this all is.

Surely it's too late now, any changes of leadership this close to an election could be more damaging than keeping Brown on. There certainly isn't time for a Labour leader election, it would have to be an assassination and a quick coronation.

I have doubts whether these rumours will amount to very much, Labour has a history of all talk and not much else regarding Brown's leadership, but with Tory Bear's post yesterday as well, it's certainly intriguing.

Update: Channel Four news is running with it as well.

Update II: The New Statesman is reporting that it was Tessa Jowell. I'm not so sure, are Number Ten trying to flush out the real culprit?