News.com.au
Kevin Rudd's still messing with the PM's mind
Sun February 5, 2012 5:03am
ANGRY Julia Gillard backers have challenged Kevin Rudd to "bring it on" when he returns to Australia tomorrow - and have predicted any leadership putsch will fail.
The Foreign Affairs Minister is jetting out of Germany this morning, after a marathon international travel trip to spend just over 24 hours at the Munich Security Conference.
As one of the Prime Minister's most loyal supporters yesterday confided they feared the momentum for a leadership spill was now "unstoppable", Ms Gillard spent the day holed up at The Lodge.
Queensland MP Bernie Ripoll, a Gillard loyalist, issued a public challenge for the agitators to bring it on amid speculation that Wayne Swan, Ms Gillard and other frontbenchers might refuse to serve Mr Rudd if he's re-elected by caucus.
"Let them call for a spill," Mr Ripoll said.
"Let's see who commands the numbers in caucus. Let's just do it.
"They won't - and I will tell you why. They don't have the numbers."
The Gillard camp believes Mr Rudd's support could be as low as 20 in the 103-member caucus.
Labor MPs will descend on Canberra today for a three-hour talkfest in the ALP caucus room followed by a barbecue at The Lodge where the Prime Minister will talk up the tax cuts and welfare increases that will flow to families from May to compensate for the carbon tax.
Despite rampant speculation, both sides are playing down the prospect of a clash next week.
But they concede the atmosphere is "volatile" and "febrile", and could lead to a clash before the March 24 Queensland election or soon after in a special meeting of ALP caucus.
A gun-toting independent MP Bob Katter also used the Queensland launch of his firearms policy yesterday to bolster Mr Rudd's credentials, hinting he would "most certainly" be open to considering a deal with a future Rudd government.
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